Mannequin
by Twilight Heartache
Summary: Three secrets about myself: 1. I've been to Kami's lookout. 2. I've saved the world. 3. I am the Golden Fighter.
1. Prologue

**Mannequin**

**Prologue**

People would kill to have my kind of power.

It's painful.

It feels like someone is filling my body with energy. **Thick **energy. My body can't handle that much essence. My muscles begin to swell trying to make room for it. They swell so much I feel my skin stretching to its thinnest limit before virtually tearing apart. My body starts throbbing, aching, _yearning…_

The energy cannot be contained in the confines of my body and instead begin to crawl across me, bouncing, sparking and stinging in the forms of small lightening containing enough force to kill an average human. I'm untouchable.

My hair brightens to a royal shade of gold shaming every beast and human that stands before me. It emits energy, beauty - a sense of untainted power that draws them eagerly to it in absolute awe. My eyes turn from a cold dark black into a bright and fierce teal that could pierce a human soul.

My senses heighten. I can smell out an enemy. I can hear even the slightest trace of movement; I can see their energy aura surrounding them. It's overpowering.

My energy, my strength hits limits that are physically impossible to the human race. My power is colossal.

It's painful.

My transformation of absolute power and strength is only triggered when it's needed.

It's generated by desperation, resentment…

The first time is always the hardest.

My body is consumed in dark energy fueled by hatred. It's powered by absolute rage. It doesn't matter who I am. It doesn't matter how I feel. I become ruthless. I become vengeful.

I destroy.

I'm rash and belligerent, aggressive…

I act on impulse.

And my impulse is always the same.

Destroy.

Progressively after every transformation it hurts less and less. My body becomes used to the agonizing pain, the hatred and the anger…

And I become numb. No longer can I feel the burning pain in my muscles and skin, but instead the burning turns to desire… the desire to hurt… to cause the pain that I cannot feel…

I feel nothing but fury. I'm numb. I feel no physical pain. I feel no emotions. Empty…

I never thought I was different.

I was born with a tail. I thought everyone was. I thought maybe I would grow out of it, and become more like my parents. I thought everyone lived the way I did. I thought everyone did school at home, played with their parents all day, and traveled by a nimbus.

I was homeschooled for most of my life. I always had my nose stuck in school books. I wanted to be outside. I wanted to play with my dad. I wanted to train. I wanted to fight.

It's been my life.

Train. Fight. Train. Fight. Train. Fight. Train. Fight.

I never had distractions. I was always focused and built for one thing. Built to obliterate.

Sure, we save the world _all _the time. I mean you would think after everything that's constantly happening here people would move to another planet.

So I'm always training.

Training to save the world. Sure, it sounds noble, but my intentions are always the same.

To destroy an enemy. To tear him to pieces. To win. I always win.

I've spent my whole life with the weight of the planet Earth on my shoulders.

And tomorrow?

I start high school.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: First Day of School**

The first day of school fell on Monday, September 1st at Orange Star High. I stared at myself in front of the mirror tilting my head to the side. I was always in some kind of uniform. I looked up thoughtfully. There was Piccolo's uniform I wore during my childhood, and then the Saiyan uniforms, that ridiculous get up my mother put me in when I was toddler, and of course I was always wearing the orange and blue gi uniform much similar to the one my father always wore.

But today? Today I was in brown slacks, a white shirt and a black Orange Star High vest. I glanced at my arms. They didn't look too bulky did they? I sighed. As conceited as it sounded I could really do without the muscle definition. I didn't want to attract any unwanted attention to myself. I crinkled my nose. I put on long sleeve instead.

"Gohan!" Reflected in the mirror I could see my little brother Goten standing in the doorway. "Breakfast is ready! Mom says you hafta hurry though so you won't be late!" He turned to leave and stopped. "Oh and don't forget to clean your room!" He bounced down the stairs back towards the kitchen.

I looked around. My room was pretty messy. My bed wasn't made and littered with clothes and my desk held school books and papers. The floor was filled with heavy ankle weights, arm weights and dumbbells for working out. My closet and dresser were full of clothes and on top of my dresser sat a handful of colognes that I got from Bulma.

My desk drawers were also half open filled with CDs and books that Bulma insisted I listen to and read before I started at Orange Star High that way I would fit in. I grabbed my satchel and my Capsule Corp box filled with capsules that Bulma had given me the day before.

"_Gohan take this box." She handed it to me and I took it skeptically._

"_What's in it?" I questioned._

"_It's full of all of our latest capsule inventions. I put a black jeep, our newest black jet with the Capsule Corp. logo across either side, and I also put in a hover board, oh and right here fits your Cpod that I'll teach you how to put music on, oh a capsule for your laptop, and lastly…" She paused reaching into her pocket and handing me a small box. "…a cell phone. All of the kids in your grade should have one and we don't need you standing out like a sore thumb."_

_I chuckled nervously rubbing the back of my head. "Are you sure I'll need all of this?" I eyed the contents of the box uneasily._

"_Of course you do!" She said brightly._

"_Bulma," I cautiously took out the Cpod. "I don't think I know how to work any of this stuff…"_

_She laughed haughtily. "I'll teach you!"_

Boy was that the _longest _day of my life. I opened up the box and checked to make sure all my capsules were in the right place. _Black jeep, black jet, hover board, Cpod, laptop and…_I looked around and spotted my cell phone on my nightstand. _Cell phone…_

I smiled at my touch screen phone and placed it in my pocket. I was pretty proud of myself for knowing how to use it.

"Gohan!" I could hear my mother shouting for me. I jogged down the stairs, my satchel hitting my leg as I ran.

I went into the kitchen. "Good morning!" My mom burst happily.

"Morning." I answered lightly.

"Are you ready for your first day of school?" I sat down on the chair dropping my satchel beside me. My mother placed six full plates of breakfast in front of me. "I want you to eat lightly today Gohan." She added.

I shrugged. "I guess I'm ready."

I began eating my breakfast instantly. I could never help it with my mother's cooking. It was flawless. It was the best food I had ever had - which is saying something because tournament food and Mr. Popo's cooking was amazing.

"Mom, what's school?" I stopped eating and turned to Goten who had stopped eating also staring inquisitively at her.

"It's where you go to learn." She said pointedly sitting down across from me at our small square dining table.

Goten pondered this for a moment and ate a bit slower. He paused again. "I thought we learned here with all those books?"

My mom looked thoughtfully at the ceiling. "Well, Gohan is _going _to school now. He's going to be a scholar now!" She stared dreamily at me.

Goten's eyes glossed over. "You mean… you mean he isn't coming back?"

He looked about ready to cry. "Of course I'm coming back!" I said quickly intercepting the tears.

Goten ceased. "You are?" He asked hopefully.

I nodded. "Yes of course. I'll be back at 3!"

"At 3!" Goten stared down at his fingers counting off the hours. "That's _soooo _long!" He declared. "What am I gonna do all day?"

I chuckled. "I'll show you."

I scooted back my chair and picked up my book bag. "I'll see you later mom!"

"Oh!" She smiled excitedly holding a cup of coffee in her hand. "Do have a good time okay? Tell me all about it when you get back!" She followed Goten and I out of the room. "Focus on your school work, Gohan! Make me proud!" She called from the kitchen doorway.

"Alright mom!" Goten and I filtered out the front door and into the beautiful autumn sunlight.

I took a deep breath. Today was going to be great. "Nimbus!" My voice boomed across the long stretch of grass and bounced against the valley walls. I could hear the whirl of the small yellow cloud rushing our way. It stopped instantly in front of me. "Goten," I turned to my little brother. "I want you to have Nimbus."

Goten squealed. "For real?" He beamed up at me. "No take backzies?" He looked skeptically at me for a second.

"No take backzies." I promised. A second later two little arms leapt up and wrapped themselves around my neck.

"Thanks Gohan! I promise to learn to fly it really good. I'm going to explore everything!" He let go and ran over to the small hovering cloud. "Let's go, Nimbus!" He leapt up on top of the cloud and it took off.

I chuckled watching him go. It felt like yesterday I was getting on Nimbus for the first time also. I crinkled my nose. Okay, so the commute was two hours by copter and nearly three by car. I bit my lip doing calculations. _Hmmm…it shouldn't take very long if I just fly myself. _I rubbed my lips together.

I took off up into the sky and hovered rolling over on my back staring up into endless clouds. I was trying to picture the people that would be at school, what the professors would be like… and I think I was going to be in gym which could be extremely dangerous. I looked back to make sure I wasn't going to run into anything and turned my head back upward. I reached into my pocket and turned around floating on my stomach. I unfolded my paper and flattened it out so I could read it properly.

_Homeroom 8:00am-8:55am  
>Professor Bahtai<br>Room 102_

_AP English 9:00am-10:15am  
>Professor Levine<br>Room 112_

_Break 10:15am-10:30am_

_Gym 10:30am-11:30am  
>Coach Kasdan<em>_  
><em>_Room 121_

_Anatomy and Physiology 11:35am-12:35pm  
>Professor Feign<br>Room 107_

_Lunch 12:35pm-1:05pm_

_Economics 1:05pm-1:55pm  
>Professer Montrel<br>Room 111_

_Studyhall 2:00pm-2:40pm  
>Library<em>

Hm. It was gonna be an easy year. _That's the bonus to being homeschooled._

I neared the city and I touched down on the outskirts of town in the thicket of the woods. I pulled out my capsule box and pulled out the black jeep. _Might as well go in style. _I leapt in behind the wheel and began my way through the windy country road leading into the city blasting one of the CDs Bulma gave me. About twenty minutes later I found myself in the heart of Satan City. _Another fifteen minutes and I should be on school grounds._

The traffic was light and I had another twenty minutes before I had to be at school. I smiled pleased with myself. My timing was perfect. I was getting great at driving a car.

_Bang. Bang._

Gun shots rang off to my right and I jumped. What was going on? My light turned green and I quickly made a sudden right turn and pulled over to the curb. I leapt out and recapsuled my jeep. I started racing down the street. I powered slightly and I could smell the gun smoke. _Just a few blocks…_ My heart was pounding. My mind was racing.

I turned around the last corner and screeched to a halt. I opened my mouth to speak.

"Put your guns down." I closed my mouth. That wasn't my voice. It was a…_girl's._

I suddenly grew very aware of a petite slender girl standing at the foot of the stairs of the city's bank. She was small, and thin with dark black hair wrapped in pig tails. Her eyes were the brightest shade of blue I'd ever seen. She was staring intensely at them. Her eyes were burning. Her skin was olive colored and she wore black shorts with a long white shirt and an Orange Star High button attached to her left shoulder. She stood boldly before six men armed with several guns. She took a step towards the stairs.

My veins began pulsing, my heart racing, my muscles swelling, my eyes dilated and my hair brightened gold. In a matter of seconds I could feel the power surging through me. I appeared in front of the small girl seconds later.

"What do you think you're doing, sir? Get out of the way!" She shouted behind me. I ignored her.

"We're not afraid to shoot _you_ either!" One of the burglars declared shakily with his gun pointing directly at my face.

I took a step towards them. "I'm warning you!" He threatened again. The gun clicked. I took another step. "I'm going to shoot!" I took a third step. _Bang. Bang. Bang._

There were gasps in the crowd. The girl behind me screamed. It started to all turn into white noise. It was like slow motion. The gunshots hit my chest like tiny pebbles being thrown at me. The girl behind me gripped my arm tightly trying to pull me around to face her. "You need help! Let me help you." She withdrew her hand quickly and I knew it stung her to touch me.

"Please Miss," I kept my voice calm and cool not looking at her. "I'm alright. It's going to be fine. I need you to step aside alright?"

I could feel her tense up. "Step aside?" She squealed.

The men in front of me were shaking in fear. I had to get them while they were distracted. I saw one of them pointing his gun at the girl peaking around behind me. I flew in front of him and smashed his skull with my elbow. I quickly pulled the other men's guns out of their hands and bent them in half. They screamed. I smirked. They should be afraid. I contemplated cracking in the skulls of the remaining five.

"What the hell **are** you?" The girl behind me screamed. I froze. I couldn't kill them. Not here. Not in front of all these people. I knocked out each of the armed men. I pulled them up by the arms and they hung by my hands limply. I tossed them in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.

The crowd started cheering and I took off into the sky. I hovered for a moment a good distance away. I could see all their faces staring up at me smiling and cheering. _You think I'd be used to this by now. _I ducked down trying to hide my face. I took off into the sky and flew towards the city park. I touched down in a cluster of trees. I made my way to the park pathway leading out into the city sidewalk. I looked both ways to make sure no one was driving by and I tossed down my capsule and hopped in my jeep, the music picking up where it left off and drove the remaining three blocks to school. I pulled up to the front steps.

I suddenly felt my cheeks grow red. I was getting nervous. I could feel the other students staring at me and I wanted so badly to shrink into a tiny hole and never crawl back out. As I got out of the car I could feel eyes on me.

"_Who's that?"_

"_Is he new?"_

I could hear whispers all around me. I reached into the car and readjusted my satchel across my chest. I recapsuled my car and I headed for the steps. I rubbed the back of my neck nervously looking down. I opened the school doors and made an immediate right for the front office ignoring everyone around me. Students were rushing by, decorating their lockers and making their way towards their friends and towards their classes.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" I offered.

A lady with fiery red hair and big round glasses looked up at me from her paperwork. She had way too much make up on with bright pink lipstick. It was a little hard not to stare.

"What can I do for you babydoll?" Her voice was high and perky. She smiled broadly.

"Um. I'm a transfer student. Ah…my mom and I came in a couple weeks ago and filled out the paperwork." I smiled back. The bell rang, lockers slammed and kids began filing into classrooms down the hall.

"Well sweetheart let me pull up your paperwork and let me send your teachers all your information. Do you have your schedule?"

I began fumbling around in my pocket. "Ah yeah. It's right here." I handed her my folded piece of paper.

She scanned it and began typing furiously at her computer. A few moments later she stopped. She reached in her desk drawer pulled out a small slip and jotted down some information on it. "Here Dear," She ripped off the first layer and gave me the copy underneath. "Take this to your homeroom." I took it from her. "102, Professor Bahtai."

"Thank you ma'am." I readjusted my satchel. And glanced at the yellow copy.

"Down the hall and on the left. Third room from the end, okay? You have a good day." She smiled and looked back down at her work.

"You too, ma'am." I started my trek towards homeroom walking quickly. _8:08. I might still have time… Hopefully they'll still be taking roll and I can just slip in…_

Suddenly I was at the door. I took a deep breath. _I got nothing to lose. _I turned the doorknob and stepped inside.

"Now that you all have your syllabi, I'll begin taking roll-," The professor's attention turned to me. Everyone looked up and my eyes scanned the room. My eyes locked with a pair of blue familiar eyes.

I snapped out of my trance and headed towards the teacher handing him my yellow slip. He looked through it and walked over to his computer pulling up my file. "Ahh," He smiled knowingly. "Well class I would like you to meet our newest student Gohan Son. He's here on a scholarship and a full ride to Orange Star University if he keeps his grades up this year, isn't that right son?" I nodded. _Kami, I did not want all this attention__._

"So let's give him a warm welcome." There was a murmur of unenthusiastic welcomes. "Alright Gohan, why don't you take a seat next to Erasa?" He nodded to a girl with a blonde bob.

I nodded. "Yes sir." I felt everyone staring at me as I headed up the long set of stairs in the lecture hall. I took my seat on the far left next to the girl. The professor began to start up roll call again. I listened intently. I was here to learn. Voices broke out in soft whispers as he continued calling off names. Everyone was so eager to talk about where they'd been all summer, what they were doing….

"Hiya!" I jumped slightly. A big bubbly voice emerged from the small blonde bob. "I'm Erasa Tippet." She held out a perfectly French manicured hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you! Gohan, right?"

I nodded. "Ah yeah…" I was nervous. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. I never got these when I was fighting… "It's nice to meet you Erasa." I was happy for a friendly face.

"You're the new nerd boy, huh?" A rather bulky boy with long blonde hair peered around Erasa.

I rubbed the back of my neck not quite sure how to respond. "I guess so." I chuckled lightly.

"Sharpner!" Erasa squealed. "Ignore Sharpie, Gohan he's just jealous."

Sharpner snorted. "Jealous of nerd boy? I think not."

Erasa huffed. "His _name _is **Gohan**. And I wasn't talking about him!" She defended. "I was talking about the Golden Fighter."

"The Golden Fighter?" I inquired.

Erasa turned to me. "Have you not heard of him? He's been all everyone's been talking about in Satan City all morning!" She declared.

I bit my lip hesitantly. "I'm not from Satan City…"

"Where are you from then?" The third voice came from a girl with proverbial jet black hair that shimmered bathing in the sunlight from the high windows in the classroom. She looked at me inquisitively with big blue eyes. She was leaning back in her chair wearing that same long white t shirt I'd seen earlier.

"Ah… Mt. Paoz-," I answered.

"My. Paoz?" She dropped her chair. "That's like a three or four hour commute by car. And what like a-,"

"-a two hour commute by copter." I continued for her.

She looked at me suspiciously. "I know." She crinkled up her nose and I inwardly smiled. She was a tough one. "And you're going to do that _every day_?"

I nodded. "Well yeah… I mean-,"

"So why start school now?" Sharpner was staring at me intensely. His arms crossed leaning back in his chair also trying to peer around Erasa. I was grateful for the barrier between us. Part of me wanted to crush his cocky skull. "I mean we heard you were homeschooled up until now."

"My mom says it'll help me get a good scholarship for Orange Star University. It'll look better on my application if I have some sort of extra activity." I answered.

"…_Pencil, Sharpner."_

"Here!" Sharpner rang out. I bit my lip. _Sharpner Pencil…? _I inwardly snickered. _What kind of name was that? _"So you_ are_ a little nerd boy then!"

"Sharpner!" Erasa squealed. "Kami, you're sucha jerk!"

He scoffed. "I don't understand why you have to be nice to _everyone, _Erasa."

I looked over at the girl again trying not to be obvious. Erasa and Sharpner began bickering but I tuned them out. We made eye contact. She was trying to process me, trying to figure everything out. And I almost wanted to let her…I shook my head. No. I had to keep my guard up. I was dangerous. I couldn't let anyone in. I turned away from her.

"…_Satan, Videl…"_

The girl opened up her mouth and let out a mellow, "Here!"

_Satan…_Why did Satan sound so familiar? _Satan…Satan…_

"Pretty cool, right?"

I looked over at Erasa. "What?"

"Videl here is the daughter of _the _Hercule Satan." Erasa claimed proudly.

"…_Son Gohan…"_

"Here!" I answered quickly. My heart was pounding. The daughter of Hercule Satan… _Fan-freaking-tastic! _"So um, what's that like?" I asked curiously.

She smirked proudly. "Well I mean my dad is the world's greatest fighter. He's the strongest man alive." She chuckled. "It's pretty great." _Yeah, I bet having the strongest dad in the world would be pretty awesome._ I inwardly rolled my eyes.

"Videl trains under her dad you know!" Erasa announced.

"Yup." I looked over at Sharpner. "She's one of the greatest fighters around!"

"…_Tippet, Erasa…"_

"Here!" She called back absentmindedly.

"But I'm sure you don't know much about fighting." Sharpner sneered looking me up and down.

I shrugged. "No not much." I forced myself to answer. _Seriously. He was going to break a bone._

"Alright class, settle down. This will only take a second. I sat back comfortably in my seat paying careful attention. Sure, it was nice to make a few friends…but I wasn't there to get close to people. I was there to learn. "My name is Professor Bahtai, I also teach a World Religions class here, but this year I will be your homeroom teacher. Homeroom is pretty laidback, we obviously won't have any assignments since it isn't a real class." Everyone cheered. "One thing you also should know is that your homeroom will become your family. For every school competition, carnival, any type of school function your homeroom will be your team. At the end of the year the homeroom from each grade that wins the most events, raises the most money, or wins the most competitions will win a fancy dinner weekend for their homeroom class at the end of the year."

Everyone cheered again. "So you're my team!" They cheered again. "_This _year we're going to smash the competition." Everyone cheered a third time. "So the first thing I think we should do is get to know each other. I want everyone to take out a half sheet of paper and write three things about yourself down on them." The room was filled with the sounds of backpack zippers, three ring binders opening, and pages tearing out of notebooks. "Hurry up, we have ten minutes left before your next class. Write three things about you and pass them all the way left. Don't put your name, just three things! I won't look at them. I'll pass you someone else's paper as you leave the classroom. My goal is for you to know whose paper you have by Christmas. We're going to really get to know each other, class."

I looked down at my paper. I wasn't here for people to get to know me. I just had to write some absurd things. And in doing so…I would keep everyone safe. I'd always keep myself an arm's length away.

_I've been to Kami's lookout._

_I've saved the world._

_I am the Golden Fighter._

I folded up my paper, took Erasa's , Sharpner's and Videl's and ran them down the steps and to the professor. After everyone had passed up their papers the bell rang. "Alright class!" Bahtai called. "I'll see you same time tomorrow morning. Grab a paper from me before you go!"

We stood in line trudging through slowly to get papers. I reached out and grabbed one taking it to my locker 622. I opened up my top locker and put in my books, book bag and school supplies. I unfolded the paper in my hand. The writing was small, neat, flawless… almost like it was typed.

_I wish I could fly._

_My favorite color is purple._

_I'm afraid to fall in love._

I stared at it intently. I suddenly burned to know who it was. I needed to know. My heart was beating heavily in my chest. Pounding. My veins begin pulsing. Why was I powering up? I tried to contain it. I tried to repress the power. I didn't like being vulnerable. I visualized the paper clenched in my right hand as an enemy. An enemy I knew three useless facts about… _Not everything is an enemy… _My power halted and simmered down. I took several deep breaths regaining my composure. I folded up the paper and put it in my wallet.

I sighed. "Um, are you okay?"

I moved my locker door and looked to my right. Videl was several lockers down staring at me. "Yeah I'm fine." I grabbed my binder and closed it. "I was just looking at my next class trying to figure out where it is." I reached into my pocket unfolding my class schedule list.

She shut her locker, also grabbing a binder and walked over to me. "What do you have next?" She looked down at the paper in my hand. "Um," I rubbed the back of my neck. "AP English…"

She giggled. "You really are a nerd." I crinkled up my nose mockingly. "It's okay." She put a hand on my bicep. "I have AP English too." She withdrew her hand walking past me in the direction of our next class.

"Well hey!" I turned around and followed her. "Who are you calling nerd then?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but you look like a nerd."

I snorted. "What do you look like then?"

She smiled playfully. "A fighter."

I smirked. _Can't argue with that…_

She let out a sigh of frustration and I jumped. "Everything okay?"

She bit her lip. "I'm a fighter!" She declared.

"I heard you!" I replied defensively.

She readjusted her binder. "It's that Golden Fighter." I stiffened slightly. "I know you're new around here and you don't really know how things work." I nodded for her to continue. "But I'm the one who fights crime around here. I'm the one who protects everyone in Satan City. And I've always done fine on my own."

"Well-well what's wrong with a little help?" I was afraid to ask.

"I don't _need _help." She insisted. We paused outside of room 112. "And I don't like this whole stupid secret identity. Just wait until I find out who he is!" Her voice was dripping with venom. I rubbed my lips together. She opened the door and I followed in behind her. _This girl was crazy!_

We took our seats in the back of the room and the class proceeded like it did in the class before it. They called roll and gave us our first assignment. We had to read a book called, _One of the Boys _by the end of next month and write a report on it. We also had our first practice multiple choice assessment at the end of the month. As Videl and I left the room I rubbed my eyes tiredly.

"That class is going to be a lot of work." Videl commented as we headed back to our locker.

I sighed. "Tell me about it. It's going to be tough trying to fit in time for all the work that's in this class."

"What are you so busy with?" Videl asked suspiciously.

"I-,"

"Hey guys!" I looked over and Erasa and Sharpner were coming down the hall. "Did you guys just have class together?"

I nodded. "Yeah, AP English."

"What's next?" Erasa asked as she pulled out her schedule.

Sharpner looked over his. "Well we have a fifteen minute break and then we have gym with our homeroom class." He crammed his paper back in his pocket. "Gym is crucial nerdboy!" He pointed his index finger. "You better be good at whatever we do in gym. It counts towards our homeroom points!" He pointed at a chart hung on the wall down the hall. It had eight homerooms written down it.

"We're only competing with our other senior class homeroom right?" I confirmed.

He nodded. "But still! You better be good at sports. I want to win this year!" He declared. "Come on guys. Let's go see Coach Kasdan!"

The first day of PE he handed us clothes and told us that our first unit of class would be filled with Baseball and relay races to prepare for our first event against our competing homerooms in November.

After gym I headed to Anatomy and Physiology with Sharpner while Videl and Erasa headed to Algebra. After professor Feign handed out the syllabi I tuned him out. Sharpner was sitting beside me at our lab table. We were playing around with the knobs on the table when the bell rang again for lunch.

I bit my lip. I was starving. Erasa and Videl were talking about their Algebra class, but I wasn't listening. I had six sandwiches in my backpack, 3 apples, 2 bananas, a small container of rice and 2 oranges waiting to be devoured on my mind.

We sat down at a wooden table outside the cafeteria. I unloaded the food out of my backpack one by one. "You're going to eat _all _of that?" I looked up at Erasa staring disbelievingly at it.

"Well I ah… I have a big appetite!" I started eating quickly trying to finish all the food before the bell rang.

"I can't believe you can eat all that!" Sharpner shouted. I shrugged tuning him out. "A big appetite is an understatement!" He added.

I looked down. All I had left was rice. I sighed. Lunch was going to be depressing every day.

After lunch I headed to economics with Videl and Erasa with professor Montrel. He handed out a syllabus and went over instructions for the year. I sighed. Man this was getting insanely dull. I was starting to really miss being homeschooled. _More food. School at my own pace. And I didn't have to constantly be powered down. I could take breaks to train. _Here my power was burning to be released.

The bell rang and I made my way out of the room. "Hey nerdboy, you want to come with us to talk to Coach Kasdan?"

I shook my head. "Nah, I think I'm going to start on some school work."

Sharpner laughed. "You really are a nerdboy!"

I laughed. "I can't change it." I shrugged and made my way to the school's enormous library. Two floors. It was the town's biggest library. I made my way through the different isles. I found a large cushioned chair at the end of a mystery book section. I set my backpack down. It was full of all of my upcoming homework and books.

I pulled out my wallet and unfolded the paper of my mystery classmate.

_I wish I could fly._

_My favorite color is purple._

_I'm afraid to fall in love._

Whoever it was didn't think that I would find them. I shook my head. I'd find them. Whoever wrote this paper was getting under my skin. I had to find them. I had to know who they were. It was a training exercise. It was all a game. And I had to win.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: School Fair**

After the final bell rang I walked down the front school steps.

"Hey Gohan!" I looked back and Erasa was running down the steps to me. "Where are you going?"

I paused and waited for her to reach me. She caught up to me and we walked down to the side walk together. "I'm ah, I'm heading home." I answered. All around us other students were throwing down their car capsules and getting in. Most of them were throwing down older cars which were probably hand me downs from their parents. For a moment I wished my car was older too.

She groaned. "You're already heading home?"

I peered behind Erasa and saw Sharpner and Videl coming our way. "You taking off nerdboy?" Sharpner called out.

I could feel my veins pulsing. If he kept calling me nerdboy I was going to have to crack his skull.

"Hey are you sure you're alright?" Videl studied me carefully.

I eased quickly and nodded. "Just a long day at school you know?" I smiled at her and she smiled lightly back but it faded quickly.

"So how are you getting home?" Erasa questioned. I looked away from Videl at Erasa.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. "Just a second." I rifled through my other pocket and fished out my capsule box.

"Oh hey Gohan!" I looked up at Erasa. "Let me get your number! That way you can hang out with us and stuff."

I nodded. "Alright." I handed her my phone absentmindedly. Truth was I really didn't care if she had my phone number. I opened up my capsule box.

"So how are you getting home today?" Videl chimed in. I stopped looking up at her. As Erasa returned my phone to me Videl glanced at her and then looked back at me.

I shrugged. "I'll probably drive out to the country until I find an open space to use my copter."

"You know," Videl was staring at me suspiciously. "The school has a copter pad on the roof. That's what I use when I come in from the country side."

I rubbed the back of my neck. Of course I already knew that. It was just slightly difficult to jump out of a copter and recapsule it before it plummeted to the ground. It was much easier for me to drive out to the country, recapsule the car and fly myself the rest of the way home. I chuckled. "Well the long commute gets kind of boring so I like to do a little bit of both. Anyway, I better get going. It was nice meeting you guys."

Sharpner walked down the rest of the stairs throwing down a capsule in the free space. A yellow jeep several years old emerged from the capsule shining in the warm autumn sun. It had a beige cloth interior and the top and doors were taken off. "You girls ready to go?" He smirked at me as he climbed inside the jeep. "See ya later nerdboy."

I smiled cockily descending the stairs. Some of my Saiyan pride took over me as I threw down my own capsule. A bigger black jeep with black leather interior, a touch screen sound system with the top off emerged. Sharpner's jaw dropped for a moment before he regained his composure. "Wh-where did you get that jeep? That make isn't coming out for another four months!" He tried to contain his jealousy but his voice was dripping with it.

"I have connections." I could feel the satisfaction of his envy sinking into my skin. "Anyway I better take off." I made my way over to the jeep.

"Hey Gohan, which way do you take home?" Videl asked heading over to me. "Do you take the back way?" She asked. "I mean," She looked down shyly. "Like, through the mansions in the back of the city?"

I nodded. "Ah, yeah I think it's faster, why?"

"You mind giving me a lift?" My stomach dropped and I instantly clutched my hand to it. I looked up at Erasa and Sharpner both standing perfectly still. Erasa dropped her purse on the passenger seat floor.

There was a long awkward pause. "You-," I looked over at Erasa mentally thanking her for breaking the silence. "You _want _to ride with Gohan?" She stared at Videl as though it were the first time she had ever seen her.

"Well yeah, I would love to see what his commute looks like." She turned away from Erasa and looked back at me. "_Assuming _he really does go to Mt. Paoz every day." I regained my composure. She was just making sure I wasn't lying. _For a moment I thought- _ I inwardly chuckled. She really was a fighter. Trust no one.

"Ohhh!" Erasa brought me out of my trance and started climbing into Sharpner's jeep. "Gotcha!"

"But Videl-," Sharpner looked thoroughly hurt and I couldn't help the pleased grin that spread across my face. Sharpner's eyes locked with mine. I could see the anger behind his eyes. I felt myself growing competitive.

"Come on Sharpner, let's go!" Erasa sat down on his passenger side and tugged his arm down.

I waited for him to break away his gaze first. He finally gave in and sat down in the driver seat. "I'll call you later, Videl?" He called out waving his hand up in the air. Videl turned her back to him and rolled her eyes.

"Bye Gohan!" Erasa stood up from the passenger seat hanging out the top of the jeep. "You two have fun!" Sharpner started to pull out of the school driveway. Erasa winked at me and sat back down.

"So you don't mind do you?" Videl was slightly glaring at me. I could see the challenge in her eyes. She knew I was hiding something.

"No," I smiled cheekily. "Of course not., climb in."

Videl climbed in the passenger seat inhaling deeply. "It smells like a new car." She observed. "I love this smell."

I chuckled and gently pulled out of the school. "It is new. A friend of the family's gave it to me since I was starting school and everything. I needed something nice for the commute you know?"

I put on my blinker and made a right turn heading for the back way that Bulma had taught me the day before. She showed me the fastest way to the country side, an area where I can switch to a copter just in case, and a place for me to take off and fly myself the rest of the way.

"_We don't need anyone seeing you Gohan!" Bulma warned._

_I glanced over at her sitting in the passenger seat of the Jeep as we made our way through the windy country roads. "I don't understand what the big deal is though."_

_Bulma sighed. "If people knew what you could do Gohan they might be afraid of you. Hercule Satan," I could hear the bitterness in her voice as she uttered his name. "-has told everyone that you guys can only fly because of a bunch of tricks. People already view you guys as freaks. Imagine if they saw what you could do. If they saw you fight someone or use even just a little bit of your power. Gohan, they'd be afraid of you." There was a hint of sadness in her voice. "Earth isn't as accepting as it should be. Not even for the people that protect and defend it."_

"Still." I was broken out of my day dream. "It's a pretty nice car for someone to just hand it to you."

I shrugged keeping my eyes fixated on the road ignoring her remark. "So what kind of people live in these mansions back here?" I questioned trying to keep the conversation going.

"Well, my dad has a house back here about a half hour from the city, and there's a famous plastic surgeon, and a few famous actors and actresses and recording artists, and then of course- oh here slow down-," I did what I was told and lightly let off the gas. "-here the famous Bulma Briefs lives. Well, one of her houses anyway."

I looked up at the house that I was all too familiar of. "I thought she lived in the city?" I questioned as we passed the house and I sped up again.

Videl sat back down in her seat. "She does." She answered matter-of-factly. "She has one in the city and one out here. Just like me and my dad do." She sighed. "But the Briefs… just _wow._"

I chuckled looking over at her. _"Wow?"_

She looked down sheepishly. "Well yeah, I mean Bulma is famous. The Briefs are amazing!"

I couldn't keep the grin off my face. "But _you're _famous and _you're _amazing." I felt myself suddenly going extremely red praying to Kami that I didn't say that last part out loud. "Well I mean like your dad is the amazing famous Hercule Satan." I quickly added.

"I know but Dr. Briefs…" She looked forward dreamily. "They invented our way of life. They did something that's going to stick a life time, an eternity. They're leaving a legacy that will last forever and be in history books and everything. That's so much more than winning a bunch of tournaments."

"Well," I looked forward thoughtfully as I made another windy turn up the country road. "Your dad is in most of our textbooks." I pointed out.

"I know." She sighed exasperatedly. "But he put himself in them."

I forced out a laugh. I hated to see anyone upset. "But he did…" I suddenly felt it hard to continue my sentence. "…you know. Save the world and everything."

I felt her become disgruntled. It felt like the topic of Hercule Satan annoyed her and I couldn't say that I was too thrilled to discuss it either. "Yeah, I know." Her voice was a little higher than usual and the pride that was always apparent in her voice was gone. "My house is the fourth one down."

The rest of the drive was silent. I was suddenly out of words, out of ideas of things to say to her. I wanted to keep talking but I had nothing left to say. Before I could even formulate a plan we pulled up to the driveway gate. She unbuckled and leaned over my lap hanging out the window. I tensed instantly. She was uncomfortably close. She pressed a button on a small box and spoke into a little speaker. "Hey guys, it's Videl!" She called.

There was a moment's pause. She looked back in through the window at me. Her face reddened. "Alright, Miss Satan." She jumped in front of me. She looked back at the intercom. "We'll let you in right away." There was a long buzz and she shimmied back into the passenger seat. The black iron rod gates opened slowly and I pulled into the long driveway following the curve to the front steps.

"Well this is my place." She opened the door and I looked up at the large white house. It was gigantic and slightly overwhelming. "Hey," She jumped out and shut the door looking at me through the open window. "Why don't you use our copter take off pad?" She offered. "You know…" She narrowed her eyes slightly. "For the rest of the ride?" She raised an eyebrow.

I felt her challenging me. It was fun having her not trust anything I said. I narrowed my eyes back at her. "Sure."

Her confidence fell slightly. "It's right back here." I got out of my car and removed my satchel and recapsuled it. I followed her to the side gate and down a long pathway lined with flower bushes and big willow trees.

"This is beautiful" I commented.

She didn't answer right away. I looked over at the back of her head in front of me. I followed behind her. She didn't look back but continued on forward. "My mom's garden." I opened my mouth to ask more but she cut me off. "We're here."

We came into a clearing leading to a wide open area. It was empty. The ground was covered in freshly mown grass and in the middle of it sat a large cement square with a giant S on the middle of it.

"Okay, well," She sighed. "I guess this is it huh?"

I nodded. "Yeah," There was a slight pause. "Thanks for letting me use this again. You saved me a good 30 minutes of driving."

She contemplated something before replying. "You can use this anytime." I inwardly rolled my eyes. She would stop at nothing to prove I was hiding something.

"Thanks Videl," I reached into my pocket and pulled out my box. I removed the copter capsule and threw it down on the cement. My black copter burst from the capsule. "Alright, I better get going-,"

"Oh my Kami!" I looked back at her. She walked briskly up to my copter. "I asked for this copter for my birthday!" She circled around it. "It's stacked! GPS Navigation system, biggest engine capsule corp can make, incredible gas mileage, and attached weaponry…" She giggled. "This copter is incredible! It doesn't come out until a week after my birthday!" She looked over at me with a giant cheeky grin. It fell quickly. "It's um," She cleared her throat turning suddenly very professional. "It's really nice."

I laughed. "I got it from a friend." She smiled up at me and for a moment it seemed so sincere. "I better go." I broke away. Something about it made me uncomfortable. "Long flight."

She laughed nervously. "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow at school okay?"

I nodded in return. "Right." I went into the copter, started it up and took off.

/

"Gohan!" Goten came running out of the house excitedly. "You're late! I was so bored without you!"

"Just a little late-," I chuckled gathering Goten up in my arms.

"Gohan!" My mom came bursting out the front door with Bulma following behind. "How was your day?" She asked excitedly.

"Yeah," I looked over at Bulma. "Tell us all about it." She smiled happily. "I noticed you came home in your new copterrrrrr!" She sang.

"I did. I had to." I chuckled nervously. "I gave this girl a ride home and-,"

"A girl?" Bulma squealed. "Tell us everything."

Goten slipped out of my arms and bolted into the house. "Trunks!" He called. "Gohan is here!"

Bulma and my mom took hold of either side of me and led me into the kitchen. After explaining assignments, describing the people, and talking about the new gadgets that Bulma had given me it was finally dinner time.

"So you've already made friends!" Bulma clasped her hands. "That's great, Gohan! I toldja you needed the car and that copter! And you got everything top of the line!" She winked at me and I smiled in return.

"_And _it sounds like you're going to do great in your academics!" My mom smiled happily. "Oh! This is going to be a great year for our family Gohan!" There was a small pause and in that brief moment it got suddenly tense and quiet. I knew what was coming next.

"If only your father was here…" My mother's voice was barely above a whisper. I felt a heavy lump drop in my stomach. There was an intense burden bearing down on my shoulders. "He would be so proud of you Gohan." The lump was slowing crawling up into my chest. "I wish he were still around."

The lump was sitting in my throat. I felt ready to burst. "We all do, Chichi." I looked up at Bulma.

I couldn't take it. "I better get some stuff done for school." I pushed out my chair and calmly made my way upstairs and into my room. I shut the door behind me and fell back on my bed. I shut my eyes tightly. Not a day went by that I didn't wish I could trade places with my father. I didn't want to die. I just didn't want the pressure of taking his place. I stared up at the ceiling. It felt like it was closing in on me. I felt like I was suffocating. I could feel the weight of my family, my friends… the weight of the world burdening down on my chest…

I would give anything to just lift it… to get rid of it… I would do anything to make the aching stop… to make the anger stop. My eyes snapped open and darted around the room. The bed creaked as I swung my feet off and made my way to the window. I threw it open and climbed out. I needed to train.

/

The first week of school went as it always did. Kids were coming in late to class trying to remember what class they had next and what room they were in. We started diving straight into the curriculum for each class. Each homeroom was also planning, and creating their event and booths for the beginning of the year picnic at the end of the week. Whoever made the most money at their event and booth would win points towards their homeroom.

Sharpner and Videl were setting up and designing a fighting demonstration that her dad would give which was sure to draw in a crowd. It was our homeroom's secret weapon. We were also designing a couple carnival game booths, a cotton candy booth and Erasa and I were working on a karaoke tent.

I smiled confidently as Erasa and I set up chairs and a stage the day before the Picnic under a large white tent. "There's no way we'll lose!" Erasa threw a fist in the air. I chuckled. "Oh this is gonna be fun!" She squealed throwing her arms around me. I raised my hands up above my head. I wasn't quite sure how to respond. She let go and giggled excitedly.

A few hours later after the set up for the picnic was finished Erasa, Videl, Sharpner and I were laying in the grass on top of a small hill outside of the picnic grounds looking up at the clouds rolling slowly across an orange and pink sky as the sun was setting.

Sharpner let out a long sigh. "Man, that was a lot of work."

I looked over at Erasa laying on my right. She pouted. "I know!" She groaned. "I totally don't feel like driving home."

"Tell me about it." I inputted.

"I bet you wish you could fly." I sat up quickly.

_I wish I could fly_

It was Sharpner that spoke. "I mean if you could fly it would only take you like minutes to get home."

I slowly descended back down on the grass. I looked up as the first few stars dotted their way across the sky. They weren't like the stars were at my house. The sky glowed.

"Do you think there's a way to fly?" Erasa offered up. I bit my lip contemplating who my paper might be linked to. _Sharpner brought up flying. _It kind of sounded like he wanted to fly. _But his favorite color purple? _I shrugged laying on the grass. He did have that long hair… _That could mean something. _But Sharpner be _afraid to fall in love_? What self-respecting man would write that down on a piece of paper?

"Well the Golden Fighter can fly." Sharpner pointed out.

Erasa let out a long thinking, "Hmmm…" She paused. "But it's a bunch of tricks, right Videl?"

"Ah… what do you mean?" I questioned.

"Well," Erasa continued. "Videl's dad always said that the people who could fly in the Cell games were just doing a bunch of fancy magic tricks and stuff. Illusions or something…"

"I actually don't think they were." I looked to my left at Videl. "I think they're from a different planet." I tensed instantly. She broke her gaze away from the sky and looked at me. "It's possible isn't it?" I nodded my head egging her to continue. "We didn't think we'd have hover cars. We didn't think we would beat Cell…" She paused looking back up at the sky. "I believe in anything now."

I looked back up at the sky. "Why couldn't they be humans?" I asked her.

"Humans have never been able to fly without a copter-,"

"Right, but believing the impossible has paid off hasn't it? I mean we've got hover cars, we beat Cell…" I looked back over at her repeating what she said and she turned and looked at me. "Why does this have to be different?"

We stared at each other for what felt like a long time. She seemed to be searching me and looking for an answer. "It doesn't." She admitted. Her face slowly fell from being hard and searching to soft and accepting.

"Still." I jumped slightly and broke away from Videl. I glanced in the direction of Sharpner. "I wish I could fly." He said.

"Really though," I looked over at Erasa and her head was turned to Sharpner. "Who doesn't?"

I sighed defeated staring back up at the sky. _Valid argument… Who doesn't wish they could fly?_

/

The carnival rolled around and I was tearing through my room trying to find something to wear. I pulled out a pair of jeans and crinkled my nose. I would never get used to these. I pulled them up and buttoned them. The jeans fell loosely on my hips. _T-shirt…T-shirt… _I pulled out a plain black fitting t-shirt. I slipped my sneakers on, grabbed my capsule box, and put my phone in my pocket. I shook my head switching to a long sleeve. _Better be safe._

"Gohan!" My mom called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Coming!" I called back.

I went running down the stairs. "You're going to be late." She announced from the kitchen when she heard me coming.

"I know. I know." I went into the kitchen and she handed me a plate stacked with pancakes.

I gulped down my breakfast and handed her the plate. "Thanks mom!"

I started towards the front door. "Oh and Gohan, Bulma and Trunks are coming along with me and your brother later."

"Alright, I'll see you later."

I flew as fast as I could to the countryside and in ten minutes I had thrown down my capsule and got into my black jeep. In twenty minutes I found myself outside of Satan City fair grounds. I jumped out of the car and put it away running into the double gates of the grounds. Students were scattered around making last minute touches, cooking their food, and setting up final decorations.

"Gohan!" Videl came jogging towards me. She was wearing blue – what Bulma called – skinny jeans and a purple tank top. Her hair was pulled up into a loose ponytail. "We were looking all over for you." She paused studying me.

"Is everything okay?" I asked her dipping my head trying to catch her eyes.

"Y-yeah." She looked away from my arms and back up my face. "It's fine. I just didn't know-," Her eyes fell to my arms again.

"Know what?" I dipped my head again trying to catch her attention. My heart was racing. _Was the long sleeve too tight?_

She faced me. "Nothing. Let's go." She reached up and brushed my arm. I pulled away quickly nodding for her to lead the way. She seemed slightly taken back, but I ignored it and kept following her. "Hey!" I jumped slightly at the sound of her voice. She was looking over at several guys in all white gis standing around the mats. "Where's my dad?"

One of them took a slight step forward. "He's running late. It'll be a couple more hours until he gets here."

Videl groaned. "A couple hours? Kami, leave it up to my dad to break promises…" She turned away from the guys looking back at me. "I guess I can demonstrate moves until he gets here. What do you guys think?" She looked back at Hercule Satan's students. They took a large step back. "What's wrong?" She demanded stamping her foot.

I tilted my head smiling slightly. One of the students who couldn't be much younger than us took a timid step forward. "Well, Miss Satan," He hesitated. "You just hit kinda hard…"

I burst out laughing and Videl snapped her head around to face me. "What's so funny?" She demanded.

The boys broke into smiles of relief. "You must be pretty brutal Videl for all of them to be afraid of you, huh?"

She shot them a glare and their smiles vanished. She looked back at me. "Well, they should be afraid of my dad…" She muttered. _Fat chance! _I shook my head willing away the bitterness.

"Well, like you said… you can do the moves right?" I offered. She nodded. "Okay, well how about when the carnival starts you have the students demonstrate moves that Hercule's taught them and maybe have them spar and fight against each other and then if your dad hasn't showed up in a few hours I'll come back and you can demonstrate that heavy moves on me, okay?"

She laughed loudly. "Gohan, my moves would destroy you."

I smiled lightly. "I'm willing to risk it." I replied softly. She raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to go check on Erasa, okay?" She nodded. "I'll come back and take his place." I offered. "Promise."

/

Eleven o'clock came around and the fair finally began. Families started rolling in and playing the games, eating the food and wandering the grounds. Erasa and I were sitting in the front row of chairs facing the karaoke stage. A tall and lanky red headed kid was singin. He had just finished and the crowd began applauding. There were a sizeable amount of people sitting under our Karaoke tent trying to avoid the harsh autumn wind that had just began as the last few rays of summer heat ended a few days ago. As he exited the stage I turned the stereo back on putting on a song until the next Karaoke volunteer came up.

"ErasaBug!" We looked back and a tall man with sandy blonde hair, thick glasses and freckles came walking up. Following behind him was a thicker woman with platinum blonde hair and Erasa's big round brown eyes.

"Mom! Dad!" Erasa stood up and met them half way. I turned back and watched someone sign onto the Karaoke book put their ticket in a jar and pick out a song. "Gohan!" I turned back and Erasa motioned me over from where she was standing with her parents. I walked over straightening out my shirt and adjusting my jeans. "Mom, Dad," Erasa started when I made my way to them. "This is Gohan. Gohan these are my parents."

I held out my hand. "Pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Tippet." I nodded and shook both their hands.

"What a gentleman!" Mrs. Tippet clasped her hands together cooing at me. "And so handsome too!"

"Mom!" Erasa squealed. "Quit flirting with my friends!" Mrs. Tippet giggled.

"Erasa! Oh hey Mr. and Mrs. Tippet!" Sharpner approached them shaking Mr. Tippet's hand. He reached his hand towards Mrs. Tippet and she enveloped him in a hug.

"Hello Sharpner!" She squeezed him tightly and broke away. "It's always nice to see you dear."

"It's nice to see you too." He rushed quickly. "Hey, nerdboy can you go help Videl out? She's freaking out and I don't know what to do."

"Sure." I bowed politely towards Erasa's parents. "It was a pleasure meeting you both. Excuse me."

I pushed my way as gently as I could through people trying to get to Videl. "Ah! My shoulder!" Someone exclaimed. I shut my eyes tightly. _Softer Gohan… softer…_ I concentrated.

"Gohan!" I opened my eyes. I was at the edge of the ring looking up at Videl. "My dad _still _isn't here." She seemed slightly worried. "And they're getting restless."

"It's alright Videl." I swung myself up into the ring. "You can demonstrate some of his moves on me."

"Gohan, I don't know-," She started hesitantly.

"Just trust me Videl. I'm going to be fine." I consented.

We made our way to the middle of the ring. "Are you guys ready?" Videl shouted hyping up the crowd. They all cheered and she smiled confidently. "I'm going to show you several moves that my dad taught me on my assistant Gohan."

I crinkled my nose. _Assistant?_

"Here we go!" She lunged at me taking a firm grip on my wrist attempting to throw me over her shoulder. I gently gave myself a helpful swing throwing myself over her shoulder. The crowd went wild. She then attempted to pick me up and I gently hovered making it easier for her. She threw me up in the air and I powered up slightly flying higher and then allowed myself to fall. I glanced down. She was going to knee me in my spine. As I drew nearer to her knee I slowed down my fall to make sure I wouldn't shatter her knee. She hit me with all her force and I bit back a giggle. I was extremely ticklish in my back.

For the next twenty minutes I let Videl _beat _me up. For her final move she threw me on the floor throwing an elbow into my chest. I inhaled deeply pretending to be in pain. I smiled up at Videl's huge smile. "I hope you guys enjoyed yourself. It'll be another ticket if you want to see it again." The crowd dispersed.

I stood up. "Are you okay, Gohan?"

I dusted off my jeans. "Yeah, I'm totally cool." She looked at me in awe. "Wha-what's wrong?" I pulled out my shirt inspecting it and looked down at my jeans. "What's wrong with me?"

She took a few steps closer and I was suddenly extremely aware of just how close she was. I took a slight step back. "Gohan," She inspected my face. "You can really take a hit can't you?" She chuckled lightly.

"Oh yeah!" I laughed nervously. "I have tough skin. I don't bruise easy but um-," I groaned. "I'm still really sore. You're uh-a pretty brutal fighter." _Okay that wasn't entirely a lie. _A big prideful grin made its way across her face. I studied her for a second. She _was _stronger than her father, but she didn't know that yet. With proper training she could really be a threat.

I smiled and she smiled back. "Hey Gohan," Her smile fell and she looked at me seriously. "Thanks for being here when I needed you."

I nodded. "It's no big deal." I rubbed the back of my neck shyly. "I'm always here if you need me."

She smiled again. "Oh hey!" She jumped slightly. "What about you? Did _your _family show up?"

I bit my lip ignoring the slight twinge I felt. "Well my mom-,"

"Gohan!" My mom called as if on cue. I looked down from the ring. She was a couple yards away holding Goten's hand waving up at me. I waved back and she made her way over to me. "Why is it that you're always fighting?" She chided.

"Fighting?" Videl looked over at me. "What does she mean?" She accused.

"Uh…" I rubbed the back of my neck.

"Who's this Gohan?" I thanked Kami for the disruption. My mom beamed up at Videl. "Is this the sweet girl you gave a ride home to the other day?" She cooed.

"Mom…" I warned. I turned bright red.

"Hi, I'm Videl." She introduced herself. "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Son."

"Oh please!" My mom laughed. "Call me Chichi. Oh! And this is Gohan's little brother Goten."

Goten leapt up onto the ring. "Wow!" Videl exclaimed. "You have a lot of energy dontcha?" She looked down at him and ruffled his hair. "You look just like your brother!"

He looked up at her studying her and I chewed my lip nervously crossing my fingers that he wouldn't say anything embarrassing. "You're pretty!" He commented.

She smiled surprised at his outburst. "Well you're just sweet."

"Videl!" I looked over as Sharpner came running towards us. "Hey," He stopped at the edge of the ring. "Want to come with me to get some cotton candy? It'll be fun!" He insisted. "Come on, babe!"

_Babe. _I bit down hard on my lower lip. "Listen, I'll catch you later Gohan." She shot me a smile and turned towards Sharpner. "Oh! And hey," She turned back towards me. She took a step towards me and I instantly recoiled. She froze taking a step back. "Thanks again. I'm glad you were here."

I searched her eyes. "I promised didn't I?"


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The Great Saiyaman is Born**

"I need a suit." It was the day after the fair and I was sitting at Bulma's kitchen table.

Bulma set her coffee down on the table and looked up at me. "Okay," She paused. "Like a tux? A business suit?" She questioned. "Because, we definitely have a lot of those. You can't work at Capsule Corp unless you have a suit!" She declared leaning forward. "-all name brand." She added proudly. "We could definitely get you into something great!" She studied me a moment. "I'm thinking gray. It'll really bring out your eyes-,"

"Bulma, Bulma," I chuckled waving my hands. "I mean a disguise."

She sat back in her kitchen chair. "A disguise?" She repeated. She blinked at me.

I nodded. "Yeah," I rubbed the back of my neck. "You see, my first day of school I sort of ran into some trouble."

"Trouble?" She leaned forward intrigued again. "What kind of trouble?" She squinted her eyes.

"Well there was a bank robbery and I sort of intervened-" I started explaining.

She put her hands over her lips. "Augh Kami!" She gasped. "You're the Golden Fighter, aren't you?" I nodded. "Gohan!" She slid out her chair and slammed her wrists on the table. "I told you, you have to be careful! We don't want your secret getting exposed."

"Well Bulma, I couldn't just ignore it, right?" I defended reaching out and taking a big gulp of a glass of muscle milk Bulma gave me. I kept the grip on my glass hovering it close to my lips.

She calmed instantly sitting back down. "No," She admitted. "You couldn't." There was a small pause and she chuckled softly. "You're too much like your father to ignore something like that." She studied me smiling and I knew she wasn't really seeing me, but seeing my father. "I'll help."

I let go of the glass placing it on the table. "You will?"

She nodded. "We'll turn you into a real super hero." She winked and left the table making her way towards her lab. "Just give me a few hours!"

/

The following day I was standing in front of the mirror at home admiring my disguise. I was wearing black spandex with a loose green shirt over it. My boots and gloves were black and there was a white cape attached to the green shirt as well. I crinkled my nose. Bulma had insisted that a cape would make me a hero. I shrugged. I put my helmet over my head. It was mostly black with green over the ears and around the top acting as headphones. The headphones were designed to pick up any police radio frequencies. A small button under the left ear made the black shield come down and conceal my eyes.

"So Goten," I turned around and faced my little brother who was closing his eyes and kicking his feet off the edge of my bed. "What do you think?"

He opened his eyes and a big excited smile spread across his face. "Oh, wow!" He burst jumping off the bed and running forward. "You look like a super hero!" He exclaimed running circles around my legs. "It's so cool! Hey, you think Bulma could make me one?"

I chuckled. "I bet she can!"

"Oh wow!" He beamed again inspecting my cape. "So what's your super hero name Gohan?"

I paused. "M-my super hero name?" I questioned.

"Well yeah," Goten continued matter-of-factly. "You can't say your name is Gohan, then the disguise seems silly. And you _can't _be the golden fighter 'cause people can't see your hair anymore!" He insisted.

I nodded. "Hm, I guess you're right." I clapped my gloved hands together. "Then what do you think I should be called?" I knelt down to be eye level with him.

He looked thoughtfully up at the ceiling. "How about Saiyaman!"

I was slightly surprised. I reached out my wrist and pressed the button on my watch returning to my usual attire. "Saiyaman huh?" I studied Goten and he looked at me eagerly. "Where did you come up with that?"

He stared at the floorboards looking for an answer. "Well that's what we are right?" He looked curiously at me. "We're saiyans right?" I nodded for him to continue. "We fight. So…" He lingered. "Why can't we fight to save people? That would make us heroes right?"

I rose to my feet. "Right." I answered.

Goten cheered and jumped up in the air. "Yay! Saiyaman it is! I'm gonna go tell mom!" He shouted dashing out of my room and down the stairs. I smiled at the door still swinging back and forth. He was so much like my father. When it came down to it he was a really observant kid. He was going to be a great fighter.

/

I pressed the button on my watch returning to my _Saiyaman _outfit. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon and I was looking for a reason to test it. I pressed the button for the police scanner trying to find something I could help with. _"csszchh…" _There was slight static as I made out what the police were saying. _"Send Miss Satan as soon as you can!" _I felt butterflies in my stomach. _Videl… "There's a tour bus that's been hijacked heading for the countryside. Get her as soon as you can."_

I turned it off. That was enough for me. They were coming my way. I threw open my bedroom window and took off into the sky. It wouldn't be hard to find the bus. The tour always made a stop at the waterfall a few miles from our house before they stayed at a bed and breakfast not too far from the waterfall as well. I descended closer to the road now that my identity was concealed. _Where is that bus…?_

I spotted a bright red bus zooming down the highway swerving slightly. I smirked. They were nervous. _They should be. _I could feel the Saiyan kick in as I increased my speed catching up the bus. I heard several gun shots and saw them burst from the ceiling of the bus into the sky. I looked up. A yellow copter was hovering above the bus. I looked into the cock pit and spotted Videl. She sure was something. Not very many 17 year old girls would risk their life the way she did.

I looked back down at the bus and suddenly it disappeared. It took a moment for me to realize that the bus had taken out the road guards and gone over the edge of the cliff. I saw Videl's copter make a rapid decent to the road and I zoomed past her. In a moment I was underneath the falling bus pushing it back up to the main road. I heard a lot of gasps from the inside of the bus. I gently brought it back to the surface trying not to over push the bus and send it into the sky. I put it down on the main road and I saw a bunch of people pressing their noses to the windows. I burst into the bus.

"W-who are you?" A man dressed in all black demanded pointing a small hand gun at me. Another man dressed in all black with a sack full of wallets, purses and jewelry clutched in his hand stared intensely at me.

I smirked. "I'm the Great Saiyaman." I declared lowly.

"Saiyaman?" The man with the gun was shaking slightly but he chuckled. "What kind of name is that?" He demanded. I just smiled and took a step forward. "Don't come any closer!" He shouted. I could hear the fear in his voice. I took another step closer. "I'll shoot." He warned. I flinched and he fired several shots. People screamed and I caught each of them. They gasped when they realized I was unscathed. I dropped the bullets to the floor and they rang out in the silence of the bus. In a moment I was standing in front of the men with the sack in one hand and the hand gun in the other.

"Hmph," I studied the gun. "I never did quite understand these." I crushed the gun in my right hand and let it drop to pieces on the bus floor. I smirked and softly punched the guy in front of me in the face. He screamed and clutched his broken nose. I pulled his partner's arm and threw him over my head and out of the bus. I took hold of the other's shirt and tossed him out as well.

The bus cheered. I opened up the sack walking down the middle isle handing people their jewelry, wallets and purses. "Great Saiyaman! Great Saiyaman!" A little boy the age of my brother was bouncing up and down in his seat. I ruffled his hair and he squealed. "I wanna be just like him when I get older mom."

I then proceeded to help people out of the bus one by one. By the time each person was out the cops had barricaded the area and several fire trucks and ambulances had surrounded the bus. Videl came marching towards me. "Who do you think you are?" She demanded.

I was slightly taken aback. I snorted. "I think I'm the one that just saved these people's lives!"

"I had it under control!" She argued.

I scoffed. "Really? Because not from where I was standing."

She fell silent and I instantly regretted my competitive nature. She glared at me. "Well, I think we're done here. You can go."

"Gladly." I snorted taking off into the sky. I slowly ascended into the air. My eyes never left hers. She wouldn't stand a chance. She faltered slightly and looked away.

That girl was gonna drive me insane.

/

Monday morning as I walked through the halls of Orange Star High I could hear clusters of students discussing the headline of this morning's news and on all the newspapers. **The Great Saiyaman. **I walked into homeroom and scanned the room noticing students huddling together looking at the replay of yesterday's crime scene on their phones, and reading through the paper.

I took my seat beside Erasa. "Did you hear about Saiyaman, Gohan?"

I nodded. "Sounds like a hero to me." I answered.

Videl scoffed. "Please." She rolled her eyes. "He's an arrogant jerk. That's what he is. The _Great _Saiyaman my-,"

"Videl!" Erasa warned. "He _is _a hero!" She looked back at me. "Videl got to talk to him you know." She squealed with delight.

"You did?" I leaned over trying to get a look at Videl. "Did he-ah-did he sound familiar to you?" I swallowed hard.

She shook her head. "No." She furrowed her eyebrows recalling the memory. "He sounded ridiculously cheesy. I guess he was trying to hide his voice or something."

I blushed. _Great, I sound cheesy. _I made a mental note to fix that.

"I don't know what the big deal is." I looked over at Sharpner who was rocking back and forth in his chair. "He's not that special. And we definitely don't need him. We've got Videl." He shot her a flirtatious smile. "She's all we need."

Erasa looked over at me sticking her finger in her mouth. I cupped my hand to my mouth to stifle a laugh. "Give it up Sharpie!" She shouted. "Videl's never gonna go out with you!" She teased.

"Shut up Erasa!" He warned shooting her a nasty glare.

Videl sighed. "Quit the bantering guys." I pulled out my binder and began thumbing through my notes for my AP quiz. "I _need _to find out who this Saiyaman is." I violently turned the next page of my notes effectively tearing the page in half. I shuttered.

"Gohan are you okay?" Erasa put a small abnormally tan hand on my arm and I jumped. "Jeepers Gohan, relax!" She exclaimed.

I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. "I'm sorry." I apologized. "I just didn't get much sleep."

There was a slight pause before Sharpner started up again. "All I know is it won't be long for people to figure out who he is."

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

He shot me a reproachful glance as if he were stunned at the fact that I actually talked directly to him. "Well," He continued. "Everyone will love the mystery for awhile, but pretty soon everyone will want to know just who he is."

/

I was sitting in my homeroom again working on more AP homework when suddenly a loud beeping noise went off. I jumped.

"_Miss Satan? Miss Satan can you hear me?"_

I looked around noticing everyone staring at Videl. I followed their gaze. "What is it chief?" She asked staring at her watch that had suddenly opened up.

I scooted closer to Erasa sneaking in a peak at the watch. _"There's a dinosaur on a rampage in town!"_

"A dinosaur!" Erasa squealed.

"_Get out here as fast as you can! We can't control it. Maybe you can calm it down."_

"On my way!" She answered standing up and jogging down the lecture steps. "I'll be back professor."

"No problem, Videl." Professor Bahtai answered as he continued grading papers. She quickly made her way out of the room and I heard her footsteps echoing down the hall.

"Th-that's it?" I asked looking over at Erasa.

She tilted her head at me. "What do you mean?" She asked.

I shrugged. "Does she always dash off to fight crime like that? I mean it's dangerous, isn't it?" I urged.

Erasa laughed. "She's _Videl Satan. _She can handle herself. She saves us from the badies!" She smiled proudly.

I bit my lip staring out the high windows. "Yeah but dinosaurs?" I shook my head. "Even she has her limits." I pushed back my chair and jogged as casually as I could down the lecture steps.

"Um, Professor?" I tried. I was trying to keep my cool.

He looked up from behind his glasses. "Yes, Mr. Son?"

"Hey, can I get a bathroom pass?" I asked politely.

He nodded. "Sure, no problem."

I smiled happily and left the room. I shut the classroom door behind me and pressed the button on my watch turning into the Great Saiyaman.

"Great." I chuckled walking briskly down the hall and towards the front door. "Now to find Videl…" I threw open the double front doors and took off quickly into the sky. I zoomed around the city until my ears picked up sirens. I followed the sounds of the fire trucks and helicopters.

I heard a loud scream and I noticed Videl's helicopter spinning slightly out of control. I zoomed over and gripped the tail of her helicopter and pulled it safely down to the ground. The dinosaurs roared above us. I sighed. _Seriously, Dinosaurs? _"What do you think you're doing?" Videl shouted throwing open her helicopter doors and jumping out.

"You're not going to win this in a helicopter!" I shouted at her. I rolled my eyes. "I don't have time for you."

I flew up into the sky. I came face to face with one of the dinosaurs. "Toh Toh?" I questioned. The dinosaur looked at me quizzically. He grumbled lowly. "It's me," I whispered. "Gohan."

He roared excitedly and nuzzled in close to my face. I chuckled. "Toh Toh…" I whined. "Quit it." I warned. "Tell me what you're looking for." I held his face in my hands. He whimpered and nodded towards the ground. I watched as a man whipped a small dinosaur violently yelling and screaming at it. "Chobi?" I questioned. Toh Toh roared angrily. He squirmed under my arms trying to get out. "Relax Toh Toh." I eased.

"Let him go!" I looked down. Videl was wrestling with the man and the whip. "He's just a baby." She urged. She punched him in the face and he rolled several feet back. She broke the dinosaur out of its cage and pulled him out cradling him in her arms. "You're okay now."

Toh Toh broke free from me and lunged at Videl. "No!" I shouted chasing after him. "Toh Toh!" I shouted. Videl screamed and I intercepted Toh Toh and Videl's collision. I grabbed him by his horns. "Toh Toh, please!"

He growled lowly. Chobi let out a little roar and his father stopped struggling immediately. Videl was breathing heavily behind me. Toh Toh's eyes never left Videl's. "What do I do?" She whispered frightened.

"Don't break eye contact." I whispered back. Toh Toh studied her and took a small step forward. Videl gasped. "Shh…" I insisted quickly going behind her and putting a hand over her mouth. Toh Toh came forward again opening his mouth and licking the side of Videl's face. I withdrew my hand and stepped to the side.

Videl squealed and giggled. "You're welcome!" She laughed.

Chobi licked the side of my face before crawling onto his father's back. "Get out of here guys before they come after you." I whispered rubbing dinosaur's nose. "I'll see you guys later." They flapped their wings causing police cars to roll away from the gust. He then slowly lifted off the city street and took off into the sky.

I turned back and saw that Videl had fallen. "Are you alright, Videl?" I held out my hand and she swatted it away.

"Yeah," She sighed. "I'm fine." She brushed herself off. "I really didn't need your help though." Her voice had lost the venom and fire and she sounded slightly defeated. She looked down.

"Hey," I lifted her chin up so she could face me. She looked startled and I removed my hand. "I know you didn't need me." She raised an eyebrow. "I just wanted to play super hero." I smiled.

She gave me a half smile in return. For some reason this was important to her. I didn't quite understand it but I didn't want to take it away from her. "You know," Her eyes suddenly grew fierce again. "This doesn't change what I think about you. I'm still gonna find out who you are. I'm still gonna show everyone the truth."

I pulled away from her and started to ascend to the sky. "I look forward to it."

/

A week later at lunch I was sitting lazily under a tree eating my sandwich. "Gohan!"

I looked up. Erasa called out to me standing up from a lunch table a few yards away. She motioned for me to walk over to them and I obliged. I picked up my stuff and made my way through the tables and over to hers. "Hey." I greeted taking a seat between Erasa and Videl.

I suddenly noticed a red headed girl sitting across from Erasa with some fierce freckles. "Oh! Gohan, this is Angie." Erasa introduced.

I smiled politely. "Hey, I'm Gohan." I held out a hand.

She studied me and then studied my hand and suddenly squealed. She gripped my hand tightly shaking it up and down violently. "I'm Angie!"

I cringed. Her voice was terrible. I withdrew my hand quickly. "It's ah, nice to meet you."

She squealed again and I felt Videl tense up beside me. "So hey Videl," I looked up at Sharpner. "A new movie just came out, _Revenge of the Samurai II _and I was wondering if you wanted to go see it with me this weekend."

I looked over at Erasa and she bit her lip fighting back a laugh. "I don't know Sharpner-," Videl started.

"Oh!" Angie shouted. "I wanted to see that this weekend too! Hey Gohan, why don't you ask me to go with you?" She leaned over the table eagerly. "We'll go on a date!"

I opened my mouth to speak.

" And then maybe we could go get dinner-,"

"Angie-," I started.

"And we can get some ice cream-,"

"Hey um-,"

"-and then you can walk me home-,"

"Wait!" I shouted.

"-and then-," She stopped suddenly aware that I was trying to catch her attention. "What is it Gohan?" She batted her eyes at me innocently. She seemed to hang on to whatever I was about to say. I felt three sets of eyes on me besides hers. The last thing I wanted to do was come off as a jerk.

"Um," I paused contemplating my next move. "Is Saturday okay?"

She screamed excitedly jumping out of her seat. "Ohmigosh it's perfect!" She rummaged through her purse and took out a pen. She leaned forward jotting her number down on a napkin. "Text me later so I can tell you what I'm going to wear tomorrow night, kay?"

She pushed the napkin in front of me. "Kay…" I mocked reluctantly. Sharpner chuckled.

"See ya later guys!" She called picking up her purse and bouncing away.

I glared at the napkin in front of me. "You know…" I looked over at Videl. "You could mysteriously lose her number." She offered.

We all laughed. "Or you could get really sick this weekend." Sharpner tried.

"Pff, I probably will when I'm with her anyway." We all laughed again.

"Oh!" Erasa jumped excitedly. "Videl you and Sharpner should go on Saturday night too! That way you could save him!"

I looked fervently at Videl. "Please?" I begged.

"You could have just said no." Videl said coldly. "It would have saved us all this trouble."

Erasa waved a hand. "Ohhh, Gohan's too sweet for that!" She gushed leaning into me. I scooted away. I hated how uncomfortably close high school girls insisted on being to other people. "Just go with Sharpner and help him out!"

Sharpner nodded. "I agree with Erasa, I mean as much as I don't really care for you nerd boy, no one should have to endure that fiery red pit of hell. I'm willing to help you out if Videl doesn't mind." I looked at Sharpner. _Any excuse to go out with Videl_… _pathetic._

Videl sighed dejectedly. "Oh fine…" Sharpner pumped a fist. "We can help out Gohan…"


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Thank Kami for her**

Saturday night I was staring into my full length mirror crinkling my nose. I was wearing dark jeans, black shoes and buttoning up a gray long sleeve. This was ridiculous. My first date was with a girl that I didn't even ask out. _Great. _Thank Kami Videl and Sharpner were going. I straightened out my shirt one last time and grabbed my capsule box and my phone. I inhaled deeply, _Okay, now to tip toe downstairs before my mom notices me. _I took the first step carefully. _Always proceed with caution. _I took the second and third one just as quietly. _Seven more to go. _I took two more. _I was in the clear. _I took another step. **Creak. **I cringed. _Shit._

"Gohan, dear, is that you?" My mother called coming towards the stretch.

I trotted down the last few steps. "Yeah!" I called back.

She came into the living room. She was standing between me and the door. She was drying a white plate from dinner. "And why are you so dressed up Gohan? Where are you going?" She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Out." I tried. She stopped drying her dish. She raised an eyebrow. I bit my lip. Lying to her would be like suicide. "I'm going to see a movie." _Okay so that was most of the truth. _

"Really!" She seemed alarmed. "That sounds nice! Who are you going with?" She inspected the plate in her hand.

I shuffled my feet. "Some friends I made at school." She smiled expectantly. She wanted names. I sighed defeated. "Sharpner, Angie and Videl."

"Videl!" She clasped the plate in her hand. "That sweet girl from the fair?!" She exclaimed excitedly. Her smile faded and she was inspecting me. "Oh my!" A look of realization lit up across her face. "Are you taking her out on a double date?" She squealed. "Oh, that must be why you're all dressed up!"

"Mom I'm not taking her on a date!" I insisted.

Her smile fell. "Oh. Then why-,"

"I'm taking.. um.. Angie."' I rubbed the back of my neck. There was a long silence. I looked down at my feet wishing my mother would stop staring at me.

"Hm." My mother walked towards me heading back into the kitchen. She brushed passed me and turned into the kitchen. I turned to face the kitchen. _What just happened? _"Hey Gohan." She popped her head around the corner and I jumped.

"Um. Yeah mom?"

"Let her down easy okay?" She smiled encouragingly and turned back into the kitchen.

I stood there slightly dumbfounded. Sometimes I think she knew more than she ever led on.

/

At 6:00 I pulled up in front of Videl's house. Deciding that we should be environmentally friendly and help save planet earth -_like I didn't already do enough of that- _we thought carpooling would be a great idea. Plus, it had the added benefit of keeping me from having any unnecessary alone time with Angie. I pulled up outside the gate pressing the intercom button. "Um, I'm here to see Videl Satan please."

"May I ask who is calling for her?" A voice responded.

"Gohan Son, sir." I answered uneasily.

"Ah, yes. Right. Right then. Come on in." The speaker buzzed and the iron gates swung open.

I leaned out my window. "Thank you!" I called and pulled my black jeep into the long driveway and up to the front steps. I shut it off and climbed the few front steps and stood before the dark double doors.

My heart was pounding. I was suddenly very aware of how big this house was. I froze. I rubbed the back of my neck. _Just ring the doorbell! _I pointed out my index finger and quickly pushed the button withdrawing my finger as though it burned to touch it.

The door handle turned and I straightened my posture. A man in a black suit was standing at the door. "Hullo Son, Gohan. Please do come in. Miss Satan will be right down." I took three steps across the marble flooring and he swung the door shut behind me.

He bowed politely. "Thank you sir." I awkwardly bowed in return. He turned and left through an open side door and I was alone. I took another step. My shoes echoed across the flooring. This house was huge. The front room with the marble flooring was a sitting room. There was a door on either side of the room and also a set of staircases on both sides of the room leading up to the second floor. Across from the front door were another set of double doors.

I took a deep breath. _What could she possibly be doing? _I heard a door open and close and I brought my attention to the second floor. Videl was leaning over the railing. "Hey Gohan!" She called out waving. "I'm coming." She came down a flight of stairs looking down at her shoes clicking underneath her.

"Videl!" I smiled walking to the end of the steps to meet her.

Videl looked up to see me and suddenly stumbled over her own legs. "Ack!" I quickened my pace and caught her before she tumbled down the last few steps. I gripped her arms softly around her wrists to stabilize her.

"Are you alright?" I asked pushing her away from me keeping my hands around her wrists. I had to have as little physical contact as possible with her.

Her hands were resting just inches away from my chest and I wished she would close the gap. She looked down and I could see her cheeks burning red. "I'm o-okay. I'm just used to trainers you know? Not really any other shoes." She finally looked up at me and smiled awkwardly.

I was suddenly reminded of how very close she was. I took an instinctive step back. "You ready to go?" I knew my face was red and I turned towards the door to hide it.

"Y-Yeah. I'm ready." She followed me to the door. I opened it for her. "Thank you." She glanced up at me.

She was wearing a gray tank top with a black sweater and black skinny jeans and shoes with a slight heel. I suddenly felt condemned to say something about how she looked. _That's what you were supposed to do right? You were supposed to compliment someone on a date. _I shook my head. I shut the door and watched Videl lock it. _She wasn't my date. But still… _She turned and looked up at me. "What?" She asked defensively.

"You um, you look really pretty Videl." I swallowed hard. She blushed furiously staring at me incredulously. I was suddenly at ease. She was more uncomfortable than I was. I had the upper hand. My nervousness subsided and I smirked at her. "Sharpner is one lucky guy tonight." I winked and headed towards the jeep.

"Hey whoa!" Videl shou

ted stomping after me. "This isn't an official date between me and Sharpner you know?" I opened her passenger door and she went in. "Thank you."

"Sure!" I shouted walking around to my side and getting in. "Whatever you say." I started the car and headed out the gates and onto the main countryside rode.

She snorted. "Whatever he tells you is a lie. I'm only here for moral support. It's you and _Angie _that are on a real date." I cringed. She chuckled. "I don't know why you even agreed to this in the first place."

I followed the winding road. It was a twenty minute drive to Sharpner's. "I was just trying to be nice." I defended. "The last thing I need in high school is to have a bad reputation as a jerk." I argued.

She chuckled. It was silent for several minutes before Videl spoke to me again. "So, what are you going to do?" She offered.

My eyes never left the road. "What do you mean what am I going to do?"

I glanced over and she moved her long dark hair out of her eyes. "I mean with Angie."

I laughed. "Do I _have _to do anything?" I questioned.

She laughed. "She's going to think you're in love with her. She's going to insist that she's your girlfriend you know?" She warned.

I inhaled and exhaled exasperatedly. "That pushy, huh?"

She laughed. "You don't have a clue."

We laughed together. "You going to protect me?" I joked looking over at her.

She looked at me very seriously. "What?"

I laughed. "You protect the city from 'the badies'?" She nodded. I looked back at the road making a right. "Well then it shouldn't be that hard to protect me from Angie." I implored.

She laughed. "This is risky business, Son." She smirked playfully. "You're really going to owe me."

I couldn't help the smile. "Let's see how good of a job you do at protecting me first." I brought the car to a stop. "We're here."

Videl looked out her window sighing. "I'll just text him." She brought out her phone sending a quick message. A few moments later Sharpner came jogging down the stairs.

He got into the backseat. "Hey guys!"

"Hey!" We called back in unison.

He was sitting behind my seat. He clasped his hand on my shoulder. "Are you ready for your big date?" I groaned. Sharpner laughed. "You'll get through it. Videl and I are here to help you." I pulled away from his house and headed in the direction of Angie's. _Sharpner was being unusually nice to me tonight. _"Are you going to sit back here Videl?" I inwardly rolled my eyes.

She took a second to respond. "I'm just waiting for Angie to get here." Angie's house was a five minute drive away and we were already sitting out front.

I turned the car off. "I better go and get her." I walked to the front door knocking. A second later a red blur was standing in the door way.

"Gohan!" Angie squealed and went to throw her arms around me. I stepped aside and she stumble regaining herself. She was wearing a bright pink and white polka dot shirt and white capris. Her hair was higher than usual and she had a bright pink head band in it. "Don't I look great?" She twirled around.

"Um-," I started.

She squealed again clasping my hand and running down the drive way opening the passenger door and letting herself in. I pulled my hand away. "Oh! I'm so excited! I can't believe you asked me out. Wow, I'm so lucky dating the new guy. My friends are going to be so jealous. They won't believe it when I tell them about how much fun we had. And not to mention-," I slammed the door shut behind her once she was safely in.

I groaned. _I'd rather fight Cell again. _I took my time walking around the car and back into the driver seat. I opened the door and she was still talking.

"-you know what I mean? Oh hi Sharpner! Videl! Aren't you guys excited?!" She turned around facing them.

"Thrilled." Videl said unenthusiastically.

/

At 6:47 we were standing before the movie theater waiting to go in and see our film. Angie was bouncing up and down continuing trying to latch onto my arm and I continuously pulled away. "So, I was thinking we could get a big popcorn, a big soda for us to share..." She paused furrowing her eyebrows in a way that I assume was supposed to be seductive. She continued on. "-and also some candy. You got all that right?"

I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. "Um, I think so."

"Great!" She squealed squeezing my arm tightly and bouncing away. "I'll go save us some seats. Videl you wanna come with me?" Before Videl could answer she interlocked her arm in Videl's and swept her away into the theater.

Sharpner appeared beside me. "How goes it?" He asked.

I smacked my hand on my forehead. "All night I've been thinking about how I can let her down."

Sharpner and I laughed together. "Good luck with that she'll kill you."

I shrugged. "I don't know. I just want to be nice." There was a pause. "Ummm, how goes it with you and Videl?" I tried to ask as objectively as I could.

Sharpner stretched absentmindedly. "Meh, we're here as just friends you know?" I blinked staring at him. "What?" He asked defensively.

I blinked again. "I-I just thought that you were really into her?" We were at the front of the line. "Oh!" I was slightly alarmed. "Um can I get a large popcorn, soda and some sour worms please? Thank you." The employee disappeared and I faced Sharpner.

"Well, I just realized that Videl might not be my type." I raised an eyebrow and Sharpner smiled. "I think I need more of a damsel in distress kinda girl you know? Videl's more of a fight it herself type."

The employee appeared with my stuff. I took my change and stepped aside of Sharpner to order. I waited for him to gather his things and then entered the theater together. "That's mature of you." I commented and we filed into our seats.

He laughed. "It was bound to happen." I took a seat between Angie and Videl. "Good luck!" Sharpner whispered leaning over Videl and winking at me. I inwardly groaned. As much as I didn't really like him he was really starting to grow on me.

Angie went to put up the arm rest and I pulled it back down. "We're sharing a soda." I insisted. "We need to be able to reach it." She thought it seemed reasonable and settled for keeping a firm grip on my wrist regardless of where I was moving it. As soon as the lights when down she looked up at me expectantly. If she thought I was going to kiss her she was about to be extremely disappointed. _Never in a million years. _

This was going to be the longest movie of my life.

/

After the movie Sharpner and Angie were in the bathroom and Videl and I were lingering in the lobby. "What didja think?" Videl offered up shuffling her feet.

"The movie?" She nodded at me to continue. I shrugged. "I don't know. Angie wouldn't stop talking." Videl giggled. I rolled my eyes. "You have no idea I-," The girl's bathroom door opened. I froze. An older woman hobbled out and the door swung shut behind her. I relaxed. "It's not safe here!" I joked. Videl giggled. I grabbed her gently by the wrist and led her behind a big cardboard movie cutout. I peered over it checking to make sure Angie wasn't near. "I'm ready to break it off with her but I don't know how!" Videl stared at me. "Any ideas?" I urged.

Videl raised an eyebrow. "Just tell her you're not interested!" I groaned. She lowered her voice. "Tell her you're not ready for a relationship."

"You really think that would work?" I whispered eagerly.

She contemplated her theory a moment and shook her head. "No. Angie would make you ready." She paused thinking a moment. "Why don't you just tell her there's someone else?" Videl offered.

I smiled. "Yeah! Okay, how do I act like I have feelings for someone else?"

Videl looked up at me. "Well," She bit her lip. I bit mine in response. There was something so- _I don't know. Something so something about the way she was biting her lip. _"Have you ever had feelings for someone?" She asked curiously.

I studied her trying to read her face. I felt a sudden warmness spread across my chest stimulating the butterflies in my stomach. "I-," My voice was low and I was suddenly very aware of how close we were. "-I don't know." I answered honestly. "Have you?"

Her voice was soft when she spoke, "I don't know either." She combed through one of her pigtails with a nervous head.

I shook my head regaining myself. "Come on." I held a hand out to her. "Let's go back out there." She smiled up at me and took a loose grip on my right index finger with her left hand and I tugged gently bringing her into the lobby.

I looked over at her and she smiled back at me. I broke my hand away from her. Suddenly there was a loud squeal. "Gohan!" Videl and I turned to face a very bright red, red haired Angie. "What is this?"

"What is what?" I asked innocently.

"That!" Angie screeched pointing between me and Videl. "What do you two think you're doing?"

I took a step away from Videl. "Wha? It's not what you think!" I reasoned.

"I can't believe you like _her! _She's not even girly. She's manlier than most guys in our class!" Angie spat.

"Whoa hey!" Videl shouted. "What do you mean manly? Just because I'm a fighter? You better watch your mouth because I could easily turn it inside out for you!"

Angie jumped slightly. "I can't believe you _used_ me Gohan!" she turned her attention away from Videl. "For a secret romance with _this!"_ She gave Videl a look of disgust. "Just take me home!"

"Angie listen-," I started reaching out a hand.

She swatted it away. "Just take me home!" She stomped out the movie theater doors.

/

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon I was sitting on the edge of Kami's lookout swinging my feet. I watched the clouds reflectively. I closed my eyes. Even though my father was dead I knew he was up in other world. I crinkled my nose. _Or somewhere doing some serious special training. _He trained way more than I did. _Or anyone for that matter._

"Gohan!" I opened my eyes and stood to my feet turning around. Dende was strolling towards me. "How are you old friend?" He asked hugging me briefly and smiling. "It's always good to get a visit from you."

"Dende! Hey! How is it living on Kami's lookout?" I questioned.

Dende smiled. "It's going lovely. I'm getting used to the whole Guardian of the Earth thing." He set down his staff and took a seat on the lookout hanging his feet over like I was before. I sat down beside him. "It's quite the burden though." He admitted. "Some places around earth are so cruel and hateful. So much crime and pain and suffering. There's only so much I can do." He looked off into the clouds.

I nodded looking off as well. "I can't imagine the pressure you must feel."

"Oh, I imagine you can." Dende gave a sad sympathetic smile. I looked at him inquisitively. "Both of us have a duty given to us to protect and defend earth." He sighed. "Forced on both of us."

I smiled back. "It's not so bad. Satan City is pretty safe right now."

"Mmm..." A small perceptive smirk found its way across Dende's face. "Yes." He sighed. "Especially in the hands of Miss Videl Satan."

I tensed at the sound of her name. "Don't you ever worry about her?" I asked impartially. "She's just a little girl trying to fight a battle that one of these days she isn't going to win." I crinkled up my nose in repulsion. "It frustrates me Dende. It frustrates me that she's trying to defend that stupid city." I scoffed folding my arms and looking at my thighs. "I mean really? She must know that her good for nothing father is a big fat fraud." I clenched my fists. My knuckles turned white. "Why else would she put her life on the line to save that city unless she's trying to justify her father's mistakes?"

I slammed my fist on the lookout breaking a beautiful tile. "Easy now Gohan." Dende's voice was soft and comforting. "You have thought a lot about this. Haven't you?" I nodded. "Well I like to think she's just inherently good. She cares about people."

I stared into Dende's eyes. He always knew something I didn't. I rose to my feet. "I gave up on genuinely good people a long time ago Dende. I'm not going to be disappointed again."

I started for the Kami's lookout building. Mr. Popo was standing in the archway. "Hullo Gohan." He studied me a second. I paused. Mr. Popo had blank distant look in his eye as he was staring at me. "I know how you feel about people. I understand." He placed a soft pudgy hand on my shoulder. "- but you must Thank Kami for her."

For a moment my anger subsided. "Thank Kami for whom?"

Mr. Popo's eyes were dim and sorrowful. "Thank Kami for Miss Satan. She's the reason why the city has been safe before you even got there." I opened my mouth to say something but closed it quickly. I didn't know what to say. "Thank Kami for her Gohan."

"Gohan!" I turned around and Piccolo was standing on the lookout. His cape was billowing in the wind, his arms were crossed and his face was plastered with a frown. He sure knew how to make an entrance. He smirked at me. "Are you ready to train?"

I grinned in return. "Ready."


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Step 1. Walk Her to Class**

"Gohan! Did you see how long I was up in the air for?!" Goten's feet lightly touched the ground. "I think I got the hang of it!"

I smiled proudly. "I think you got it too!"

He beamed at me. "Was our dad this good at flying?" He sat cross legged on the ground.

My father had died before he could even meet Goten. I blinked a moment staring at him. I don't think Goten even realized just how much he looked like him."Flying?" I plopped down in the grass in front of him. "Our dad was good at everything!" I threw my hands up in the air. "He's saved the earth hundreds of time from the badies! And he's even saved some other worlds from them too!"

"Wow!" Goten exclaimed excitedly.

These were stories I had told him hundreds of times but he still looked at me as though he had never heard them. "You look just like him Goten." I smiled remembering my father's smile through Goten's.

"Do I really?" He asked eagerly.

I nodded confidently. "Yeah, you do." There was a small pause before I spoke again. "Hey Goten, do you want to go into the city?" I offered.

"You mean Satan City?" I suddenly had his full attention.

"Yeah, Satan City." I confirmed.

"Wow!" He threw up his hands excitedly. "Well then let's go!" He jumped forward grabbing my hand and running in the direction of our house.

/

30 minutes later on a beautiful Sunday afternoon Goten and I were flying idly in sunny cool weather on Nimbus towards Satan City. "Now, when we get closer to the city we'll have to switch to a car okay?" I warned him. He looked nervous. "What's up? What's wrong Goten?"

I was trying to make eye contact with him but he kept avoiding my gaze. "You don't-," He hesitated. "You don't drive like mom do you?"

I laughed. "No, I promise I don't drive like mom."

He held out his tiny fists protruding both of his pinkies. He crossed his arms. "Double pinky promise?"

I crossed mine back. "Double pinky promise." I interlocked my pinkies with his and let my hands drop.

He eased instantly. It was a nice ride to Satan City. Goten was talking about his training with Trunks, their games of tag, a dinosaur he met the other day around the house. He talked about his favorite color – _orange, _and his favorite pop -_Dr. Pepper, _and his favorite kind of cookie -_Chocolate Chip Oatmeal. _

"I think it's way better than the way mom makes that oatmeal stuff sometimes in the morning for breakfast." Goten added.

I nodded agreeing with him. "I think oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are the only way you can really eat oatmeal." I looked over Nimbus. We were closing in on the street. "You ready Goten?"

He furrowed his eyebrows very seriously. "Ready." He nodded.

"Go!" I boomed. We each rolled off of opposite sides of the cloud and plummeted towards the ground. I kicked in some power and suddenly I was in control of the way I was heading down. I was flying. I looked to my left and Goten was smiling excitedly. He was doing circles, he was doing loops, he was spinning. The earth was coming closer and closer to us. Most people ski, ice skate, or snowboard to come as close to they can as flying, but we actually did it. As we neared the ground I flipped over so I came down feet first. I looked over at Goten and he followed suit.

Just before we hit the ground we halted our speed and descended slowly. "Gohan!" Goten came running towards me. "I did it! Did you see me?"

I laughed scooping him up and placing him on my shoulder. "I did! You were incredible!" He squealed with delight and jumped off my shoulder. "I'm ready to see the city!" He demanded.

"Okay!" I opened up my capsule box throwing down my jeep.

"Whoa!" Goten ran up to it. "This is _so _cool!" I smirked proudly. There was something about being an older brother that I loved. He skipped the door altogether and jumped straight into the jeep now that the top was down. "Come on, Come on, Come on!" He urged.

I jumped in after him and started up the jeep. Goten hung slightly out the window enjoying the windy country roads."I was thinking we could go get some ice cream and I could show you the city and then I was thinking you could go stay with Bulma for a few days!" I announced.

"Wow! You really mean it?" He jumped up and down excitedly and instinctively I double checked his seat belt.

I looked back at the road. "Yup, I already asked mom."

He smiled. "Cool! Ice cream _and _Trunks!"

/

Awhile later Goten and I were strolling down the street towards Capsule Corp. headquarters. Goten peered over at me. "Hey! Let me try your ice cream!" He was licking his chocolate cone.

I took a couple licks of my strawberry ice cream. "Pff, back off!" I shouted. Goten thrust out a hand. I gently shoved him and he flew clear across the street before he finally caught himself midair and touched down lightly on the sidewalk. I laughed haughtily. It was nice not having anyone around.

"No fairs!" He shouted. Goten examined his ice cream to make sure none of it had spilled. He threw the rest in his mouth, swallowed, looked both ways to make sure no one was coming before he flew across the street and charged at me. I threw my ice cream in the air and caught Goten in a headlock.

I laughed. "You should know better!" I insisted. I reached out my hand caught my ice cream and ate the rest in a single bite.

Goten looked up from me indignantly. "Someday I'm gonna be stronger than you!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Gohan?" Goten and I looked up and met a pair of beautiful bright eyes. Goten squirmed out of my grip and cowered further behind my legs.

"Videl?" I started walking towards her. "Hey!"

"Hey!" She smiled and my heart skipped a beat. I shook my head forcing the feeling away. "What are you two doing here?"

Goten was clinging to my leg looking up at Videl. She looked down at him. He studied her for a brief moment before easing his grip on my pant leg. "Getting some ice cream." He answered timidly.

"Well that sounds fun!" She beamed down at him.

"Yeah it was!" He looked at her again fully emerging from behind me. "Hey, are you a fighter?"

She looked taken back and I lightly touched Goten's shoulder. "You just look like one." I explained.

She put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. "Do I now? And how do you know what fighters look like?"

Goten laughed. "Because I am one!" He answered pounding his fist against his chest.

"Are you now?"She smiled happily. "Well I'm sure you are one of the best fighters!" She praised.

He nodded his head excitedly. "Someday I want to be as good as my brother-,"

Videl looked up at me. I cupped a hand over Goten's mouth. "Okay now..." I ruffled his hair. "Quit bothering Videl." I urged."So um what are you doing here Videl?" Goten squirmed underneath my arms.

"I got a call on my police scanner to come here." Videl crinkled her nose looking around. "But I don't see a crime." She narrowed her eyes scanning the area. I closed my eyes while she looked around trying to sense the area. There were people coming. "I guess there's no one here though. I hate when people get a hold of police scanners." She rolled her eyes. "People are always screwing with the radio frequencies." There was silence. "Gohan?" I opened my eyes. "Everything okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah." I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. "But Goten and I better go. You ready?"

He punched his fist to his palm. "Mmhm!" He exclaimed excitedly.

"I'll see you later Videl okay?" I shot her a smile.

She smiled back somewhat skeptically. "Sure, no problem! I'll see you later Gohan!"

I gripped Goten's wrist and we walked briskly down the street. We rounded the corner and I instantly went down the first alley way I saw and I knelt down beside Goten. "Listen stay here, okay?" He nodded. "You sensed them right?"

Goten nodded again intensely. "There were seven of them."

"Five guns." I added.

"The two without are about your size. The energy is pathetic though." He scoffed folding his arms. I smirked. As much of a child as he was he had the fighting sense of a man.

I pressed my watch and was instantly in my Saiyaman uniform. "Easy win?"

Goten smirked excitedly. "Easy win."

"See you in twenty?" I reassured.

"Ten." He challenged coolly.

I smirked. "Ten it is."

I powered up and flew over the building tops back towards Videl. She was walking the direction that Goten and I had come from. I flew as quickly as I could scooping Videl up in my arms right before the gun shots rang out. She trembled in my arms and let out a small scream but the trembling stopped instantly. She was staring at the ground. I looked down at her. Her legs were small and narrow slung over my right arm, my hand had a firm and gentle grasp around her tiny ribs, her small hands were instinctively wrapped around my neck and she had a perplexed fearful yet excited look on her face. She was drinking in all her surroundings trying to take in everything she could and then- "Put me down Saiyaman! What do you think you're doing?"

"Saving your life Videl!" I let out a frustrated growl. _Way to ruin a perfectly good moment._

She looked alarmed and slightly dazed. "You've never called me Videl before."

I shook my head. "Well I'm sorry then Miss Satan, but-" My temper was getting the better of me. I furrowed my eyebrows. I spun her around and held her gently under the ribs holding her down facing the ground. "Do you see those guys?"

"Saiyaman!" She screamed. "Stop it! You're-"

"They were going to shoot you Miss Satan!"

She squirmed uneasily. "I would have been-I'm-Oh Kami we're so _high_!" I smiled at the fear in her voice.

I held her close again and flew back down towards the ground. We were several yards away from the armed men. "Are you ready?" I narrowed my eyes. I glanced at my watch I had six more minutes. I shot forward. Videl wasn't far behind me. "I'll take the men with the guns!"

I started gathering up the guns tying them together and tossing them out of the way. I glanced to my left watching Videl demolish the other guys and then- _One hit her in the face._ I cringed. I immediately kicked out two of the men. The third came after me. I grabbed his shirt collar and threw him against the alley wall. I darted in front of Videl punching out the guy who hit her. I felt his warm blood against my knuckles. _It was mildly soothing._ I hit again. _It felt right._ I hit again. _He was going to die._

"Saiyaman!" I hit harder. "Saiyaman!" A girl screamed. I ignored it. _One more blow_. Two small hands covered my blood stained gloves. "Stop!" I ceased. My chest was heaving, my breathing shuddered. My fist was frozen above a broken nose, busted lip, a bloody mess… It felt impossible to catch my breath. "Wh-What happened? What's wrong with you?" I looked up at Videl.

I took several steps back. The unconscious body was on the floor. "N-nothing. I have to go." I started briskly walking. I had to make it back to Goten.

"Where are you going?" Videl shouted after me. "Wait!" I took off into the sky.

/

The next three days the two of us spent at Capsule Corp. Goten and Trunks were playing outside every day while Vegeta and I were crammed into the gravity room. My days consisted of training. School. Training again. Dinner. And usually some quality time with the Brief Family. Bunny was attempting to teach Bulma how to cook without much success. Each night we'd be forced to eat a little bit of Bulma's... _meal _before Bunny would cook us something real.

Monday night after class and training Goten and I and the Briefs were sitting around a large dining room table. Dr. Briefs smiled at me. "So Bulma says you've been attending Orange Star High, what do you think about that?" His small black cat was sitting on his shoulders peering at the doctor's food.

"Yes sir." I answered. "It's actually nice. It's a lot slower pace than when I did school alone at home, but I'm glad I'm attending. I actually have more time to train now that I'm at school. Usually our mom was always breathing down my neck giving me something new to study."

Bulma laughed. "That's Chichi for you!"

"Excellent!" Dr. Briefs responded. "You know, your school will be taking a trip here soon."

I was surprised. "Really now?" I took a few bites of food slowing down my pace so I could continue talking.

"Yes, I'm currently discussing with the dean to see if the class could spend a few days here at the corporation." He took a bite of his mashed potatoes. "I think it would be fun as well as an experience."

"It would be!" I remarked.

Vegeta snorted. "A nerd fest!" He scarfed down a few more bites. "We saiyans are far more superior in intelligence than any other race."

"Is that so?" Bulma crossed her arms. "Well then I would like for you to explain to me why every time your precious gravity room breaks you come complaining to me."

He chuckled. "I just like to see you do work, woman." He smirked at her. "It's one of the only things you're good at."

"Vegeta!" She squealed angrily.

/

I sighed happily. I loved staying at Capsule Corp so close to the high school. It felt amazing waking up after the sun for a change. I did however miss flying. And the time I'd spent flying from home to the countryside was nice. It was actually kind of incredible watching the world wake up, seeing the last of the night owls swooping into their tree trunks nuzzling up for bed and watching the fireflies extinguish their light and go into hiding.

Then slowly hues of pink, orange and soft yellows would be resting against the earth and above it an expansion of dark blue sky sprinkled with tiny stars that were so bright just an hour ago and now were dull and almost lifeless. Slowly they would disappear as a large half yellow circle would peek its way over the horizon. Then small birds would emerge from the nests and take flight to search for breakfast.

The bears would crawl out of their caves and down to the river to begin fishing. The deer would come out of hiding and prance through the meadow with young ones staggering behind. It was still cool almost brisk like the sun was holding its breath anticipating the beginning of the day. And before I knew it the sun would be beating down and the day would be warm and inviting almost as if the sun itself were exhaling ready to start a new day.

I missed it.

The time alone was nice. I got to see things humans would never see. I twirled the small beat up paper around my fingers. I didn't have to read it anymore. I could remember the spacing, the spelling, the handwriting, the black pen ink... I could tell you which words-letters had been pressed harder into the paper and which ones weren't.

_My favorite color is purple. _

_I wish I could fly. _

_I'm afraid to fall in love._

I looked back up facing the teacher of my AP English class. Professor Levine smiled. He was a lean man with dark hair flecked with gray, bright blue eyes and an award winning smile. You could see the stress, the years of money problems, job searching and years of labor reflected in his face. I watched him point to something on the board noticing he always wore long sleeves to hide his wild years as a teenager. A small edge of a tattoo poked its way out of his sleeve. I smiled.

"What do you think of the female protagonist of this story?" He reached towards his desk picking up his own tattered copy of _One of the Boys._ A boy raised his hand. "Yes Mr. Takanawa."

"I think she's pushy." People chuckled. "No, seriously. She meets a boy and automatically assumes he has some kind of crazy secret. In the first chapter right away she's forcing herself into his life." People laughed and murmured with agreement.

"Well she was a fighter." Videl defended. "It was in her nature to be pushy and aggressive to learn what she needed to know about him. She seems to know the city she's living in very well and everyone in it and... if he wasn't from there he would be a threat to her." People nodded in agreement with Videl.

Takanawa scoffed. "Still. Women be crazy."

/

After class we were walking towards our lockers. I put my books away. Videl leaned up against the locker. "Augh, honestly. The ignorance of most men." She growled.

I shut my locker and stared at her. She was wearing a white tank top with an opened gray hoodie. Her hair was in a messy ponytail. Her eyes were slightly gray today. I stared at her. She seemed sad. Distracted…Scared even… She readjusted the books in her hand. She seemed to notice me analyzing her because suddenly her eyes brightened and she smiled lightly at me. I took a step closer to her. She was startled and inhaled slightly. We were close. I could smell her perfume filling my lungs. I reached out a hand taking her textbooks from her and holding them against mine.

I swallowed hard. "Walk you to your next class?" I offered.

She bit her lip. I could feel how nervous she was. She swallowed hard. "Yes."


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Male Bonding Huh?**

My veins were pulsing. My heart racing. My stomach was tied in knots. This was it. Time to make it or break. Kill or be killed. Win. Lose. I closed my eyes concentrating. I could feel him in front of me. Shouting. Screaming. Powering up. A small smirk tugged at my lips. So pathetic. Weak. Useless. I opened my eyes wide. Snapped the edges of my palms together holding them firmly in place feeling the energy lock between them surging through my veins, boiling my blood, tearing at my muscles and skin. Ripping every shred of my being as it traveled through the shoulders, arms, forearms, tingling at my palms, then burning them before-

"Kamehameha!" I shouted releasing all of the energy I had built up.

And in a split second-

it was done.

Make it. Kill. Win.

Vegeta was lying on his back staring up at the gravity room ceiling. "You insolent little brat!" He rose to his feet breathing heavily. He was tired.

I was tired. "I already beat you twice Vegeta." I managed in between gasps. "I'm done." I waved a hand and turned to the exit of the gravity room.

"You can't take another?!" Vegeta spat wearily. I could hear a hint of defeat in his voice.

I exhaled. "I'm tired of fighting an old man." I muttered. I pressed the button raising the door, exiting as it shut loudly behind me.

/

A couple days after we had been home again with our mother and eating her incredible cooking again things fell back into place. I was training alone again in the woods getting ready for the World Martial Arts Tournament. I had to win. Everyone expected it. No one would ever tell me it was my obligation to win, but I knew I had to. The way they looked at me… their constant subtle reminders that if my father were here he'd blow the competition away. They'd constantly ask me if I was entering. If I was training. I walked briskly out the front school doors. My heart was pounding in my chest. I clenched and unclenched my fists. I closed my eyes.

"Hey Nerdboy, I need to talk to you."

_Now was not the time._

I turned around quickly. "Hey listen here Sharpner." I pointed a finger at him. "I'm not a _nerdboy._ My name is Gohan Son." I folded my arms. "And that's what you're going to call me. Gohan." I glared at him.

He faltered slightly but regained himself quickly taking a half confident step towards me. "Yeah well-"

"Sharpner!" We both looked over and Erasa was standing a few feet away arms crossed tapping her sneaker on the ground. Her eyebrows were furrowed and she seemed to be shooting daggers at him. I winced. Even I could feel the sting. "I _told _you-" I turned back to Erasa.

"I know, I know!" He turned to face me. "Listen I was wondering if you wanted to go," He hesitated. "-gohangout." He muttered quickly.

I raised an eyebrow. "Um?" I looked past him at Erasa and she nodded, smiling and flashing me two thumbs up. I leaned in to Sharpner. "Did Erasa put you up to this?" I whispered. He nodded slightly.

I rolled my eyes, "Let's go." I nodded towards the street. He let out a sigh of relief. "Come on. We'll take my jeep." I offered.

He brightened up. "Awesome!"

/

30 minutes later we were sitting at a small burger and malt shop right on the outside of town. "This burger is terrific! I've never been here before!" Sharpner exclaimed taking several more excited bites of his burger. "How did you find this place?" He looked up at me as he took a sip of his soda.

"I pass it on my way home every day." I answered honestly. "It's delicious and it's cheap." I added. We laughed.

He studied me a second as if debating whether or not to ask me something. "Well, it's nice to have a hole in the wall cheap diner. You know how Satan City is... expensive. Name brand. Snobby. Chain stores." He shrugged. "Both my parents work to keep us in the nicer suburb area of the city."

I was thoroughly intrigued. "What do your parents do?"

He took a break from eating setting down his burger and pushing back his coke. "My dad works in Mr. Satan's gym and my mom is a wedding planner."

I raised an eyebrow. "A wedding planner huh? That's pretty interesting."

He smiled. "Yeah, she's pretty great." It was something in his voice. It was something about the way he described his mom that I realized we had something in common. In just one simple sentence I could hear all that she'd ever done for him. I could sense all the work she put into their family to keep them functioning, to keep them together, to keep them in a nice Satan City suburb house. He respected her.

"What do your parents do?" I broke away from my thoughts.

I was dreading this question. I set my own burger down fumbling uncomfortably with the napkin sitting before me. I couldn't exactly tell the truth. It's one of the only things I could honestly say I hated about my life. The lies. The half truths. I couldn't tell anyone everything. Just snipets, pieces, fragments of my life. No one would ever get to know the real me. No one could ever understand me fully.

I took a light deep breath calming my nerves. "They actually don't work." He looked at me inquisitively. "My mom was sort of born into royalty and my father died at the hands of Cell several years ago. He left us with a lot of money though from his jobs before he died." That part was true. My Ox King grandfather did provide us with a lot and my dad won a lot from all the tournaments he'd ever won and Master Roshi made sure to take great care of all my father's earnings till he could entrust it to my mother who wouldn't spend _all _of it on food like my dad insisted on doing.

Sharpner tensed instantly. I looked up at him. He seemed angry. "I'm sorry to hear that." He muttered. "I lost my grandpa to Cell." He crinkled his nose. "He was a beast!" He spat bitterly. "I'm glad Hercule dealt with him."

"Yeah..." I inwardly rolled my eyes. "Hercule..." It was silent for a moment and I decided it was time to change the subject. "Hey, if you don't mind me asking... why exactly did you want to hang out with me today?"

Sharpner's anger subsided instantly and he was blushing furiously. "Erasa said it was time for me to do some male bonding with someone."

I started laughing. "And why are you listening to her?" He blushed a deeper shade of red. He looked down. I raised an eyebrow. "No way." I mumbled. "You like her, don't you?"

He turned pale. "I do _not!"_ He argued throwing his palms on the table.

I raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you listening to her?" I countered. I picked up my burger digging in again. Sharpner's mind raced trying to come up with any way he could possibly defend himself. He sighed in defeat picking up his burger and eating more. "I _knew _it!" I exclaimed chuckling. Sharpner shrank down. I crinkled my nose trying to make sense of this. "But I thought you had feelings-" I paused. "-for Videl?"

He shook his head reluctant to come out of his shell. "Nah, I just like to annoy her."' Part of me felt this sigh of relief. "It's always been Erasa." A small smile tugged at his lips. "But she's always had feelings for someone else." He admitted. "And I always date other girls. It just never seems to work out for us." He shrugged. "Right now she likes you!" He shot me a smile. I could feel the jealousy in it.

"Does that-does that bother you?" I asked politely.

He shrugged. "You were her friend first and we're not exactly great friends. So, the bro code doesn't exactly apply here."

I wiped my hands on my napkin now that my burger was finished. "What's the bro code?" I questioned drinking more of my soda.

He looked at me incredulously. "The bro code?" I shrugged. "Well, you know? Bros before hoes? If your bro likes a girl that likes you then you don't date her- that sort of thing." He explained.

I smiled. "Okay." He looked at me expectantly. "Don't worry." I chuckled. "I don't have feelings for Erasa."

He looked relieved. "In fact." I bit my lip. "Maybe I could help you out?"

/

The following day as I was standing in front of my locker door I heard a piece of bubblegum snap behind me. "Gohan?" It was high pitch. Ear piercing. Desperate and eager all rolled into one. I inwardly groaned. Maybe I could pretend she wasn't there. "Gohan? Are you paying attention to me?" I shut my locker door and turned around.

Angie was standing in front of me bright and smiling. "Hey Angie." I said through a gritted smile.

"I decided to give you another chance." She stated bluntly.

I raised an eyebrow adjusting my satchel. Man, I was eager to get home. "Another chance?" I was slightly agitated.

"Yeah, we can go out again." She offered happily.

I shook my head. "I'm not sure I follow." I admitted.

"You can be my boyfriend again!" _Awww. Dammni-_ "I judged you too quickly. I know there's no way you like Videl she's too-"

"But I do!" I cut her off quickly. "I like her-" My cheeks were growing red. "I like her a lot."

She looked at me growing angry. "Augh but she's so-so-"

"-So perfect!" I smiled sincerely. "Wonderful. Tough. Feisty. Friendly. Opimistic."

She took a step forward slapping me across the face. "Pig!" She shouted. "That's okay! I need more of a man anyway! Someone like Sharpner!" She turned away skipping down the hall towards the semi muscular blonde hair in the crowd. I watched her walk away shaking my head.

"Gohan!" I looked back and Erasa was jogging towards me. "Hey!" She stood catching her breath. "Can I get your notes for-"

A high pitched giggle cut her off. We both drew our attention to bright red curls bouncing up and down in front of Sharpner. "Oh Sharpner! You're so funny!" She squealed.

Erasa's eyes were glued to them. "When did _this_ happen?" She spat disbelievingly.

"I'm sorry?" I questioned. "When did what happen?"

"That!" She shouted pointing at Angie and Sharpner.

I raised an eyebrow. "Um just now." I was slightly afraid of Erasa's anger. "She said I wasn't man enough or something and-"

"Guys!" Sharpner came walking towards us.

Erasa looked pointedly at me. "I think it's time for me to go."

"Hey Erasa!" Sharpner smiled boldly.

"Humph." She huffed adjusting her purse, crossing her arms and turning the other away.

"Erasa what's wrong?" He took a step towards her.

She looked at me again smiling. I looked at her lips. I could see the anger building up behind them. She was going to explode if she didn't leave soon. "There's a foul stench in the air." She muttered. "It's time for me to go home." She took a big step towards me wrapping her arms around my ribs squeezing. She was looking for comfort. I crinkled up my nose disgustingly. This wasn't my thing. I patted her uncomfortably. "I'll see you later." She pulled away walking briskly down the hall.

Sharpner stared at me. "What just happened?"

I looked past him at Angie standing a few feet away. She smirked excitedly, flipped her hair and walked down the hall. I looked back at Sharpner. "Angie happened."

/

The tension between Erasa and Sharpner was so tense it followed me everywhere.

We were in groups in English discussing the novels we were reading. I was sitting across from Videl taking a mental note that she was avoiding all eye contact if possible.

"What do you think Videl?" The guy beside me asked.

She turned facing the group. We locked eyes momentarily. She shook her head. "I don't really have an opinion." She answered nonchalantly.

The other kids in our group exchanged glances and then a dark haired boy with big round glasses turned to me. "Do you have an opinion about chapter 4?"

I nodded locking my eyes on Videl. "The introduction of the subplot about the girl's mother's ring gives a common enemy to our protagonist Gabe and our main female roll Victoria. It will however introduce some problems seeing as the bond is formed between Victoria and Gabe's alter ego Atomic."

Videl looked up at me. "You actually think Victoria will go for Gabe?" She scoffed. "She's in love with another man. The book says so."

I smirked happy that she was responding to me. "She's in love with Gabe. She just doesn't know it yet."

The bell rang. She quickly collected her things and pushed back her desk. I gathered up my books into my satchel and followed her out. "Videl," My books started slipping and I adjusted them quickly. "Videl wait!" I called out. Her head was down and her books and folder were at her side under her right arm. I quickened my pace. I focused my eyes on her books. I thrust my hand out as quickly as I could knocking all of the books out of her hand and onto the floor with a quick gust of wind. I walked briskly to her side. "Here let me help you."

I picked up her English book and she yanked it out of my hand. "Thanks but I don't _need _help."

I took a deep breath willing patience. "Videl, what's wrong? What happened? Was it something I said? Something I did?"

I continued picking up her things. I could feel her glaring at me. "Don't act like you don't know!"

I crinkled my nose. "I don't know." I admitted honestly.

We were both on our knees as people moved their way around us. "Sharpner is a pig and _you _helped him."

She stood to her feet and I followed suit. "What are you talking about-"

She took several steps towards me. "All men are self centered-" She poked me in the chest. "-inconsiderate-" _Poke. _"-rude-" _Poke. _"-obnoxious-" _Poke._ "-Oblivious-"

I grabbed her wrist before she could poke me again and she gasped. "Listen Videl. Just because Sharpner and Erasa are oblivious to how they feel about each other that doesn't mean that one of them is right and the other is wrong. Even though Sharpner is self centered Erasa is inconsiderate the way she rubs her relationships in Sharpner's face." She tried to wrench free but I wouldn't let her go. "So don't blame me because our friends aren't together."

She ripped away. "You're so childish!" She shouted.

I chuckled. "_I'm _childish?" I snorted. "Please Videl. If anybody is childish it's you!" I held out her books towards her.

She grabbed her books away from me. "How dare you-"

I held up a hand and she quit talking immediately. "Talk to me when you're ready to quit yelling." I brushed past her and down the hall. _Inconsiderate ignorant girl._

/

"Gohan?"

I furrowed my eyebrows tapping my pencil on the desk listening to our lecture. "Yeah?"

I didn't take my eyes off the board. "Is everything alright bro? You seem kind of..." Sharpner paused. "...off."

I shrugged. "Yeah, everything is great." He leaned back and there were a few moments of silent before- "I couldn't help but notice Videl is pretty pissed today too."

I rubbed my eyes. It was too early in the morning for this. "That's because she's ridiculous." I commented.

"Ridiculous?" He questioned.

"Hmph!" A high pitch voice scoffed. Sharpner and I glanced at Erasa. I rolled my eyes.

"What was that about?" He redirected his energy from me to Erasa. I rolled my eyes. "You're impossible! Why are you still sitting here? Go sit with Angie." She scooted up her chair blushing furiously looking over at me.

I raised an eyebrow at her. Sharpner was staring at her. "Is that-is that what this is all about?" He questioned.

The bell rang and Videl and Erasa gathered up their things and headed out as quickly as they could. _Man that thing has the worst timing._

"Is she for real?" Sharpner blinked at me.

I smacked my head against the table. "Women."


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Mom, it's not a date!**

It was Monday and I was sitting on the school steps rummaging through my satchel looking for my capsules. I ran a tired hand through my hair. I was exhausted. Training. School. Training. School. I needed a break from one of them or I was going to burst.

I put my head in my hands. _Kami..._ I had to escape.

"Gohan?" I lifted my head and met the two dark brown eyes of Erasa. "Is everything okay?" She sat down beside me laying her book bag and purse down. She put her phone away and put her hands in her lap giving me her full attention.

I looked at her. I wanted to lie. I wanted to tell her everything was great. I had everything under control. I didn't want to share anything with her. "I'm just a little stressed." I admitted.

She seemed surprised at my honesty. So was I. She gave me a sympathetic smile. "I know what you mean. Well just think, this is the last stretch of high school. Just this last year."

I smiled. "Yeah I know." I paused. "But then you have to decide whether or not to start working or go to college. Then if you decide to attend a college you have to decide which one. Then you have to pick a major. It's all just so messy." I groaned.

She sighed. "Tell me about it. You know, I'm thinking about going to Cosmetology School." She smiled proudly.

"Well how about that?" I smiled warmly. "That's perfect for you! You'll do great at that!"

She beamed. "Thank you! It's nice to get some support you know?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Does that mean no one supports you?"

She shrugged. "My mom does. And so does Videl. Except I feel like she could support me better if she'd let me experiment on her."

I chuckled. "Experiment huh? Sounds serious!"

She laughed. I felt the stress melting away. "Well she just needs a haircut. And maybe to let me practice doing her hair and nails. I keep telling her she'd be cute if she had a bob cut-"

I snorted. "Bob cut? No way! Her long hair is beautiful. It's always falling in front of her face hiding those big blue eyes of hers." I smiled. "I love it because when she brushes it out of her face and looks at you with those eyes it's like you're seeing them for the first time all over again."

I looked over. She was staring at me. She wasn't blinking. "Are you kidding me?"

"What?" I looked alarmed checking my surroundings. My guard was down. I had to be ready for anything. If need be I had to protect Erasa. I had to-

"You like her."

I looked at her. I blinked. "Like who?"

"Videl."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to."

"Well I don't like her." I stated defiantly. "She's always yelling at me. She's always angry with me. She always thinks I'm hiding this big deep dark secret. She's a nut job."

Erasa blinked at me. "That's just Videl." She said mildly. "And..." She looked down. "Her being downright awful to you is sort of my fault." I raised an eyebrow. She sighed guiltily. "I told her we should hate the _both _of you for what Sharpner did to me."

I groaned. "Erasa what exactly did Sharpner do to you? Is this about Angie? Because if it's about Angie you should know he isn't interested in her at all."

Erasa furrowed her eyebrows. "But-"

"Erasa." She slouched. "How long have you known Angie?"

She snorted. "She's been a little slut since junior high."

I cringed at the hostility. "And how long have you known Sharpner?"

Her tension faded at the mention of his name. "Since elementary school."

"Then why don't you trust him?" I muttered.

She stared blankly ahead_. _I sat back satisfied. The sun was getting lower to the ground now. It would be night by the time I made it back home. I would have to find a good spot to take off in Satan City. Maybe I could change into Saiyaman before I left and head straight home.

"Wow." Erasa broke me from my thoughts. "You're right. This is ridiculous." She ran a hand through her blonde bob. "I guess I've been hanging around Videl too long. You know how she is..." She looked away. "She doesn't trust anyone besides me. Barely even Sharpner." I raised an eyebrow. Erasa shook her head. "You'll have to ask _her _about it."

She snubbed my curiosity. I stood up brushing myself off and adjusting my satchel. I held out a hand and heaved Erasa up being careful not to accidentally throw her over my shoulder. "Well I better get going. Long drive you know..."

Erasa gasped. "Oh my! I'm so sorry! I forgot you had such a long drive!"

I chuckled lightly. "It's not a problem." She adjusted her purse. "Do you need a lift?" I offered.

"No thanks." She shook her head. "I think I could use the walk."

/

_It was hot. I was burning up. I clutched onto his pant leg. I wasn't going to let go. He was all I had. I looked up into the dark eyes of a cold blooded killer. His chest and arms were scarred. His muscles stretched his skin causing his veins to pulse wildly. I buried my face in the only familiar orange pant leg I knew._

**"Picture it Kakarot! Picture the carnage! Feel your Saiyan blood stir!"**

_I was four. At the mere sight of the man I could recognize his greatness. His power. His strength. His potential. I could see his thirst to kill. I could see it burn to destroy. And as he clenched the back of my shirt and flew me away from all I'd ever known and loved. I knew. I was in the presence of an undefeated monster. My crying subsided instantly and for a moment I wanted to be like him. I shook my head and let the tears flow again._

_Hours later I was in a small pod screaming at the top of my lungs. I was going to find a way out of here. My body was burning. I didn't understand. My veins were pulsing. My heart was pounding in my chest ready to burst. I felt like I was tearing apart from the inside out. I peered through the strange window. That man was taking my father down. He was falling. He was falling fast. I felt a low rumble inside me and instantly I knew what I had to do. I jumped as high as I could tearing through the metal and glass of my own small prison. I locked the long haired man in my sights and dove with as much speed as I could. My skull cracked against his armor._

_I fell to the floor. I was dizzy. The power was gone. I was fading._

I sat up quickly. I was breathing heavily. I hated that dream. I'd been dreaming a lot more than usual. I guess I just missed my father. I was pulling any memory I could of him out into the open. I shut my eyes and laid back down. I reached over on my nightstand checking my phone. _Five in the morning._ I groaned rubbing my eyes. _I might as well get up._

I started getting dressed. I put on a long sleeve black shirt as the autumn days were ticking down and slowly getting cooler and cooler. I put on a pair of jeans and laced up black sneakers and I attached my Orange Star High button to the front of my shirt. I adjusted my satchel across my chest and tip toed down the stairs. An early fly to school was going to do me some good. I opened the fridge and in a brown paper bag I emptied out the contents of the fruit drawer inside. That would make a good enough breakfast.

I opened the front door, powered up and took off towards the sky. I had to get some fresh air. I had to escape these nightmares. I did circles in the sky, bobbing up and down through the clouds. Below the clouds I turned my face upward and jumped through, the cold wet clouds letting them chill me to the bone. Then up high towards the sun, dry warm, hot even in the early morning. And then a dive back through the clouds my clothes clinging to me.

I looked down. _Already above Satan City._ I spotted the small cluster of perfectly oriented trees. _The park. _It was the perfect place to touch down safely without being spotted. I found the thickest clump of trees and dove into the middle. I opened my satchel and took out the contents of my breakfast. I grabbed a couple plums and headed out into the morning sunlight of the park. I started down the pathway strolling my way down back into the city.

"Gohan? Is that you?" I turned around and locked eyes with two big brown orbs.

"Erasa?"

The blonde bob came skipping down the pathway. "What are you doing in the city?" She gasped. "Wait, you must have gotten up super early to get here! I mean like two in the morning early!" She exclaimed.

I shook my head. _Lie, lie, lie. _"I stayed with some friends in the city." _Gosh, I hated lying._

"Oh! Well that was awfully nice of them. Who did you-"

"So why are you up so early?" I cut her off quickly.

She adjusted the green sweater around her off white tank top in the cold morning air. "Sharpner won't talk to me now. I couldn't really sleep." She confessed. "Videl seems mad too. I was talking to her about our talk the other day and well she just kind of went cold on me." I scrunched up my nose. _Videl was such a handful for everyone._ "Hey Gohan! What do you say we get some real breakfast?"

"Wha?" I shook my head shaking my arms. "Oh no really I couldn't!"

"Come on!" She grabbed my arm and started marching me to town. "I'll pay."

I raised my eyebrows falling into step with her. She let go of my arm. "Well if you insist!" I winked at her.

/

A couple stacks of all you can eat pancakes later we were walking up the front school steps. Erasa was chuckling loudly as we approached the door. "I can't believe you ate that much."

I laughed. "It wasn't that baaaad." I insisted.

"No but really." She flicked a blonde bang out of her face. "Where do you put it all?" She nudged me.

I patted my stomach. "Right here." I laughed.

I opened the door. "What's going on here, huh?" I left Erasa's eyes and met a set of narrower brown ones. He ran a hand through his long blonde hair. He was wearing a brown tank top and light jeans. He crossed his arms and raised an accusatory eyebrow.

Erasa crossed her arms and took a step forward. "It's none of your business Sharp-"

"Erasa." I raised an eyebrow at her. "I think you should talk to Sharpner." My voice was low. I broke away from her and looked directly at Sharpner. "Trust me okay?" I insisted.

I brushed past them and headed into the front doors. "We only have ten minutes but we really should talk..." I heard Erasa say before I was out of earshot.

I walked into our homeroom and up the steps into my seat. It was early and the room was empty. "Hey." I looked over. Videl was sitting a few chairs away. She looked up at me from her desk.

"Hey." I murmured back. With this girl I was always on my guard.

There was a moment silence. I could see Videl staring at me through my peripheral vision. I could feel her contemplating something and then finally she took the seat beside me. "Sooooo, um, rumor has it you've been spending a lot of time with Erasa."

I raised an eyebrow at her. My heart was pounding in my chest. She was awfully close to me. "And?" I didn't like the way she was accusing me. She scoffed.

The bell rang. Our eyes were locked into each other. I wouldn't turn away. In fact... I couldn't. "Hey guys!" Erasa came up the steps cheerfully.

Videl turned away. "Hey!"

My eyes caught Erasa and Sharpner holding hands as they came up. They were slightly uncomfortable but the smiles on their faces were quite a relief. Videl made to move before Erasa stopped her. "If it's okay with you I think we should trade." She smirked.

Videl glanced at me uncomfortably. "Of course."

/

The next couple weeks were incredibly awkward. Erasa and Sharpner would hold hands, sit close and talk quietly, rub noses together. It was absolutely beyond me why anyone would want to rub noses together. I shuddered. _Eeewwww…_

"Well this is awkward." I shook my head. Videl was sitting beside me. We brushed arms. Her skin was soft.

I shrugged. "It'll take some getting used to." I glanced at them and smiled genuinely at Videl. "But I'm glad they're happy."

A smile spread its way across her face. She looked over at them and then back at me. "I'm kind of relieved too." She admitted.

I chuckled. She didn't smile often but when she did, _Wow. _She tugged at one of her messy pigtails. A warm feeling spread across my chest. I felt like my insides were melting. "Hey guys!" Erasa's voice emptied my thoughts and I turned back towards them.

"What's up?" My voice cracked. I cleared my throat. "What's up?" I urged a little deeper.

Sharpner smirked. "We were wondering if you guys wanted to come with us to go see _The Fighting Warrior _tomorrow night?"

"S-Saturday?" Videl stuttered. I looked over at her. She was suddenly extremely nervous. "Um. What time?" I looked at her inquisitively. She seemed to be avoiding my gaze at all cost. Or maybe I was just reading into something too much.

"Around 10. Your dinner ends at what 9ish?" Erasa's focus was on Videl.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Dinner?" I inquired.

"Well yeah but I won't have time to like change." Videl ignored me.

"Change what?" I tried again. I looked at Sharpner. He shrugged at me.

Erasa swatted a hand at Videl. "Oh please! You don't have to change." The bell rang indicating the end of lunch. She clasped her hands together as she slid out from under the lunch table. "That settles it then. I'll see you two Saturday night."

"Okay." I answered trying to process everything. I paused. "Wait no! I didn't say I could-"

Erasa slid an arm through Videl and skipped away. "See you Saturday!" She called.

I sighed hanging my head.

Sharpner laughed. "Tell me about it. I love that woman. Someday I'm going to tell her."

/

Saturday night at seven I was pacing back and forth in my room. I knew I was being ridiculous. _I mean. What did it really matter? It's just a movie with Erasa, Sharpner... and Videl. _

"Gohan?"

"Ahhhhhh!" I shouted clasping my hands together and preparing myself for a kamehameha wave.

My mom crossed her arms grasping a black metal frying pan. She furrowed her eyebrows tapping her foot in rage. "Gohan Son I am your **mother**. How dare you prepare yourself for a kamehameha wave on me?!"

I dropped my head. "I'm sorry mom! You just surprised me that's all!" I apologized.

I slumped on my bed. _I'm seriously losing my head._ "Gohan is everything okay? Why aren't you in your training clothes?" She questioned.

_Only my mom would notice the small things. _"I'm going out with some friends tonight." I admitted.

She smiled warmly. "Oh your nice friends from school?" I nodded. She got up and walked into my closet. "Wear this," She handed me a long sleeve black and gray flannel. "-and these-" She handed me a pair of black skinny jeans. "-these shoes-" A pair of canvas gray shoes. "-and this plain black zip up hoodie."

I scrunched my nose. "I've already got the flannel."

She smiled mischievously. "Yes, I know, but you never know. Someone else might get cold." She winked at me. "Oh!" She jumped slightly. "I'm going to get some of your father's cologne." She left the room and I started changing. "Don't forget to roll the sleeves of that flannel up to your elbow! You have nice forearms!" She shouted.

I finished changing and she popped her head back in tossing me the cologne. "Your date is going to be very impressed." She winked and then disappeared.

"**Mom, it's not a date**!" I shouted.

/

A couple hours later I was sitting on a bench outside the theater after texting Erasa that I had just arrived. "Gohan!" She came running up excitedly. I was always frightened she was going to try to hug me. I backed away a bit.

"Hey Gohan!" Sharpner socked me in the shoulder.

I crinkled my nose. "Hey!" I punched him back and he stumbled catching himself before he hit the ground. I tensed up immediately. I froze.

"Oh honey, did you trip over your shoes?" Erasa cooed. _Honey?_

He brushed himself off. "Yeah," he chuckled nervously looking at me. "Yeah, my shoes." His voice trailed off.

Erasa turned to the parking lot. "There's Videl!" I looked up. She was wearing a strapless scarlet colored dress that tied in a black ribbon around the middle. Scattered along the dress were black flower prints. She was taking off her heels and putting them in her purse and pulling out a pair of black flat ones. Her hair was tied up in a curly ponytail.

She was blushing furiously and I found myself becoming increasingly shy. "Hey guys.." She said quietly.

"Shall we?" Erasa took Sharpner's hand and I walked in uncomfortably beside Videl.

The instant we walked in we were enveloped in a cold air conditioned environment. I stole another glance at Videl. She was hugging her arms. Small goose bumps were popping up along her forearms and biceps. _She definitely could use a-_

"Hoodie!" I shouted instantly. Videl jumped. I rubbed the back of my neck nervously pulling off my hoodie. "I have a flannel on and it's not super cold in here. So please," I held it out to her. "Take my hoodie."

She shook her head. "Oh no I couldn't, I'll be fine I'm tough." She joked.

I smiled. "I know." She smiled skeptically. "I know you're tough. And I know you don't need it but-" I bit my lip. "Please take it." She scrunched her nose at it and before she could say anything else I slipped it around her shoulders and stepped in front of her walking to our seats.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: 1/8**

Forty-three minutes into the movie I shifted uncomfortably. The theater was slightly crowded and I felt like I had no room. Not to mention the movie was awful. It was a movie about a fearless fighter who happened to be Hercule Satan and his quest to conquer all evil. _There was no way to describe except that-_

"This movie sucks." Videl whispered to me.

I looked down at her. She was still facing the screen. "But it's a movie with your dad's likeness-"

She snorted and looked up at me. She was alarmed at how close we were. "Y-yeah." she stammered. "Well I mean what in Satan City isn't part of my dad's likeness." She raised a challenging eyebrow.

I chuckled. "Yeah... I see his face everywhere..."

She nudged me. "Come on."

/

We exited the movie theater. In front of the theater was a large circular fountain that lit up different colors. She plopped down on the stone enclosing the water her knees together and her feet pigeon toed. I hesitated. She pulled her dress down and shimmied into it more comfortably. I smiled. "What are you staring at?" She spat.

I shook my head. "Nothing." I sat down beside her. "So have you already seen that movie or something?"

She rolled her eyes. "I was there when my dad helped write it." She laughed. I laughed with her. "It gets worse. He's working on a movie about Cell."

I tensed. A chill went down my spine. "About Cell?" I gulped.

"Yeah." She didn't notice. She was busy rummaging through her purse. She pulled out a small handful of pennies. "He wants to put all those guys that were there in the movie also, but his lawyer and I keep telling him he has to talk to the families to use their likeness and stuff, but he's stubborn and he never listens." She tossed a penny to the top of the fountain over shooting it and landing on the other side.

I turned away. "Must run in the family." I commented.

"What?" She looked at me after under tossing another penny.

I shook my head. "Nothing."

She lifted another penny playing with it in her hand. "So, I don't know very much about you." She looked at me skeptically. "And I think we'll be spending more time together now that Erasa and Sharpner are..." She nodded towards the theater. "You know... dating and stuff. I mean, are there things I should know about you? Like, are you allergic to something? Do you have siblings? I don't know." She shrugged. "Anything."

I picked up a penny spinning it in my fingers. "Um, I'm not allergic to anything. I have a little brother, you met him remember?"

She chuckled at the memory. "Yeah I remember. What else? What's your family like? What do you do for fun – in your spare time?"

I turned away closing my eyes. I couldn't tell her anything. I bit my lip as much as I wanted to tell her everything I couldn't tell her anything. It sickened me. I turned back around, "I'm nothing special. Honestly." She looked snubbed. An awkward silence fell. "What about you? Anything I should know about you?"

She crinkled her nose. "What's there to tell? I'm the daughter of Hercule Satan. That's kind of it. I've been fighting my whole life. I'm champion of the Junior Division of the World's Martial Arts Tournament. It's my life. School. Fighting. School. Fighting."

I blinked. Someone I could relate to. She scratched the cement stone of the fountain with her penny. "Must be tough." I mumbled.

She was avoiding my face as she looked down intrigued with her penny. "It's just part of life I guess." She commented. "This city, this county, this **country** is all about martial arts. It's admirable, it's a big thing. I guess I've just always assumed that's how everyone's life is run. With school, work and martial arts." She stood up getting antsy.

A small gust of wind rushed by. She grabbed her arms rubbing the black sleeves of my zip-up hoodie. I stood taking a confident step towards her. "It'll help if you zip it up." I remarked.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm fine." She argued putting her guard up. _So much for that moment of vulnerability._

I shook my head. I was going to tear her walls back down. I took another step towards her. Her perfume enveloped me. Sweet. Classy. Elegant. I had to fight to close my eyes and take it in. I reached a hand out and took both sides of the zipper in my hands. I locked it in place and pulled up stopping in the middle of the ribs. She was looking up at me. Her bright blue eyes burning into mine. "There. It's not so bad letting someone else help. Is it?"

She couldn't break away. I couldn't let her. I put my arms on her shoulder firmly and gently rubbing up and down her shoulders trying to make her warmer. I stopped…my hands still resting on her shoulders.

"Guys!" We jumped and I took an uncomfortable step away from her. "What happened?" Erasa and Sharpner came strolling out towards us. Erasa inquired. "Where did you guys go?"

Videl shrugged. "I wasn't really into the movie." She cleared her throat.

I stared at Erasa dumbly. "Me either."

Sharpner raised an eyebrow at me. He opened his mouth to say something until Erasa cut him off. "Well we ought to get going. I've got to be home soon!" She looked over at Sharpner. "Thanks again for coming with us guys. We'll see you guys Monday!"

She skipped back towards Sharpner putting her arm through his. "Later!" He called saluting before walking down with her.

Videl looked at me. I cleared my throat. I took a step back. "I'll see you Monday." I turned away.

"Yeah…Monday…"

/

I inhaled deeply. My head wasn't into it. Piccolo swung at me his fist brushing across my face. I dodged and swung a punch at his face landing it on his jaw. It hit him. He tumbled back and caught himself. He shot a few beams at me and I flew out of the way.

"Where is your head Gohan?" Piccolo shouted.

We touched down on the ground both panting heavily. "I-I'm sorry." I apologized.

Piccolo sat down cross legged. I walked over to the ice chest grabbing 4 two liter water bottles tossing one over to Piccolo. I took a deep breath. Piccolo chugged a full liter. "Clear your mind Gohan." He raised an eyebrow. "What's got you so distracted lately?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing. I'm okay." I insisted.

"Something has changed in you recently." He groaned tiredly.

I shrugged. "Well I started attending school."

He looked at me. "School?" He asked.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "It's a place where I go to...well to learn."

"I thought your insane mother taught you that." He laid back in the grass staring at the ceiling. I stared at him. He was tough. He was a second father to me. He wasn't like this with anyone. With me he was relaxed. He was comfortable. He stretched lazily and put his hands behind his head closing his eyes.

I rubbed my eyes tiredly and I laid back beside him. "Yeah she did, but now that I'm older she wants me to go to school to learn so I can meet new people and maybe I can find a good job."

He grunted. "A job? What about your training? What about martial arts?"

I chuckled. "She doesn't consider that a real job."

Piccolo grunted. "I stand by what I said. Your mom is nuts."

A loud buzz rang out and my watch shuttered. I looked down. "Saiyaman! The Satan City gym is under lock down, we need your help."

I stood to my feet quickly. "I'll be right there!" I shouted. "I have to go Piccolo."

He sat up. "Saiyaman?" I pressed the button on my watch changing me into my Saiyaman costume. "What's this? Are you playing super hero instead of training?"

My cheeks grew red. "Piccolo!" I groaned. "I'll be back in a bit."

/

A half hour later I was standing in front of the Satan City gym. I was standing next to an officer. "What seems to be the problem, sir?"

"They're holding up the gym. They were looking for Mr. Satan but they've put bombs all around the perimeter and well," He put his head in his hands. "Miss Satan is trapped inside."

"Videl?" My heart leaped into my throat. I ducked under the caution tape and jumped into the sky flying up to the roof. I touched down and kicked open a skylight window landing inside.

I heard a loud scream. A guy was holding a gun to Videl's head. She was squirming. Another one had her hands and a third at her feet. I smirked. It took three men to hold that woman down. "Wipe that stupid smile off your face or I kill her." His voice was raspy. He took off his ski mask tossing it to the floor. He cocked the gun.

"Let go of me!" Videl screamed thrashing and trying to break free. The man at her feet grunted trying to hold her down.

"Shut up you little pathetic girl. You're going to die today." He spat. He pushed the gun to her head.

I saw her eyes light up with fear. My heart was racing, my veins were pulsing, my muscles began swelling and my eyes flashed. I was shaking. I did the only thing I knew I could do. I charged at the man with the gun. In a moment I was in front of him. I had a single hand wrapped around his wrist. I snapped down. He screamed in pain at the sound of the loud crunch and dropped the gun in his hand. Videl swung a hard low kick at the guy holding her feet. Blood began pouring from his mouth and he let go. The guy holding Videl's wrists let go quickly. I jumped up kicking him in his chest. I knocked the wind out of him and went crashing on top of the one with the bloody mouth.

Videl was breathing heavily. She was trying to catch her breath. She was trying to gain control of herself again. "Videl." I murmured. My anger subsided and I walked briskly up to her. I took her by the shoulders. "Hey, hey, hey..." I soothed. "Are you alright?"

She looked mildly dazed. She shook her head. She shoved me off her. "I'm fine, I'm fine, okay?" She brushed past me towards the front door. I followed her. "Are all the hostages out?"

I walked quickly trying to keep in pace with her. "Videl, I really think you should sit down. You really aren't looking too good." I tried to take her arm but she pulled away from me.

The autumn sun enveloped us in the heat. "Videl!" A police officer shouted. He ran up to her. "Please, let me help you."

She brushed him off. "No, no I just need to go home." She pushed past them.

The officer looked at me. I watched Videl walk down the street. "I-I have to go. Please, take care of them."

I ran around back of the Satan gym and I switched out of my Saiyaman suit. I jogged down the street. I pushed through the on looking crowd of the crime scene. I scanned the sidewalk. I saw her small figure hugging herself and walking quickly down the street. I ran after her. "Videl! Videl please wait!"

She spun around on her heel. "Saiyaman leave me-" She paused. "Gohan? Oh I'm sorry I thought you were-"

"Videl, are you alright?" I cut her off.

She was holding her hands tightly around her arms. "I-" She looked down. "I almost got shot." She looked up at me. Her big blue eyes welling with tears. "I've never let my guard down like that before." She slowly started to shake her head.

I stared at her. The fearless fighter, the girl who was always on my case, always rude – she was standing in front of me and she was about to cry. I bit my lip. Her big blue eyes burned into mine. She was asking – she was begging for help. I did the only thing I knew I could. I took a big step forward and enveloped her into a huge hug. "Videl, shhhhh." I put my arms around her.

My skin burned against her. I could feel my heart start pounding anxiously in my chest. I inhaled breathing in her shampoo. I rubbed her back gently. She started crying the moment her face hit my chest. She was sobbing uncontrollably. My shirt was soaked with her tears and I…I loved it. I loved how close she was to me. I loved this side I saw of her.

She started calming down and I knew I would have to pull away. I took a step back with my hands still on her shoulders. I threw down my capsule to my car. "Videl, get in. Let's get you home." She stepped inside the jeep. I jumped into the driver seat and took her home.

I got out of the car and helped her out of the passenger seat. She looked up at me with those big blue eyes and I grabbed her up in another big hug. "I was so scared." She stifled a sob by putting her hand to her mouth.

I pulled her away from me. "But hey look at me, please?" She looked at me with swollen eyes. "You're okay. You're safe." She started to look down. I tilted her head back up with my hand so she would face me. "I will _never_ let anything happen to you, okay?" She nodded. I let her fall back into my arms crying. "It's all going to be okay."

I loosened my grip. "Don't let go. Please don't let go." She whispered against my chest.

Her tears were soaking my white shirt all over again. I pulled her in and held her close. "I won't." I murmured back. "I won't ever let go."

One month down. Eight more to go.

School was crazier than training.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Field Trips**

Monday morning October 1st at 6am I was standing in front of Piccolo. "Nice run huh?" I commented holding my knees and looking down at the ground.

Piccolo chuckled haughtily. "Struggled to keep up with me."

I shrugged. "Well you didn't really pick a usual running path." I laughed. "I think jumping over mountains and blasting through giant boulders doesn't really count as a light jog in the morning."

We were both standing in front of the house door. He picked up his turban and put it back on. "Well it wouldn't have been much of a brisk morning training session if it wasn't a challenge now would it?"

I laughed. "No it wouldn't." I opened the front door. "Coming inside?" I offered.

He furrowed his eyebrows. He let out a humph. "I have better things to do."

I walked behind him ushering him inside. "A couple hours isn't going to kill you. There's nothing scary in there Piccolo."

He tried digging his heels into the ground to stop himself. "But Chichi-" He insisted.

/

Another two hours later I was standing in front of the door bags in hand filled with clothes for the upcoming week. Piccolo, Goten and my mom were standing in the grass right outside the house. Piccolo came forward. "Do you think you'll get any training in with Vegeta when you're there?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "If I can sneak it past the other students I guess so."

My mom furrowed her eyebrows. "Now, now Gohan you be careful. I don't want you to get into any trouble and I don't want training with Vegeta to take place of your education." She grabbed my head and kissed my forehead. "Now be good and I expect you to tell me all the new things you learned."

Goten shuffled up to me. "Why can't I go see Trunks?" He pouted.

I laughed. "You can see him the week after me, okay? I promise I'll take you." I ruffled his hair. "I won't be far guys." I threw my hands up. "No need for the sappy good bye." I took a few steps back still looking at them with my hands in the air. I pointed one finger at Piccolo. "Especially you. You've trained on your own before." I winked at him. "Don't get attached." I lifted off the ground and headed for Satan City. "See ya!" I shouted.

/

At nine in the morning the senior class was standing outside on the front steps with bags in hand waiting for the buses to arrive. A short 30 minute drive and we would all be spending the next week at Capsule Corp. I looked around. Some students were sitting in pairs with Capsule cPod players containing all their favorite music. Other students were bundled up in hoodies trying to get away from the cold. Videl and Erasa were listening to the same cPod and Sharpner was flipping through a muscle building magazine.

I walked up shouldering my duffel bag. "Hey guys!" They all looked up at me.

Videl looked up glaring at me. I shuffled my feet. "Hey" They all called in unison. Videl locked eyes with me. She took out her headphones. I felt Videl's eyes melting into my soul. "It was strange really. I couldn't help but notice you showed up right after Saiyaman left. What an odd coincidence..." She mocked. She tapped her index finger on her mouth a few times. "Care to _explain_ why you showed up **after **Saiyaman was gone?"

I blinked at her. _Was she serious?_ I blinked again. _I only let her cry in my arms. No big deal..._ I raised an eyebrow rubbing the back of my neck nervously. "To be honest, I was hiding."

Videl's hard exterior faded. "Well I guess that's a fair argument." She seemed completely at ease.

I crinkled my nose in frustration. _I don't know why it's so easy to see me as a weakling. _I stole a glance at Sharpner. I was definitely a lot stronger than Sharpner.

A whistle blew. "Hey guys load up in the buses and we'll take attendance!" Mr. Bahtai shoued gathering up the kids.

/

Bulma's house was enclosed in a tall stone wall with black iron rod gates leading up to it. There was a long driveway up to the main mansion. Two pathways branched off to the right, one leading to a hotel for company getaways and Bulma's parties and the second led to the lounge complete with arcade, video games and a full basketball court. To the left was Bulma's private lab and Vegeta's training area and behind the mansion resided Bunny's huge garden.

A boy in our homeroom class raised his hand. "Will we be meeting The Briefs?" He asked eagerly.

The executive shrugged. "They'll be around the house along with extra hired help for the weekend." He clasped his hands together excitedly. "Now, why don't we assign you to your rooms and we'll keep things moving along." He flipped through a couple pages. "Also," He looked up scanning the crowd. "Can I get a... _Gohan Son_ to follow my assistant Paul here."

I brushed through the crowd shifting my duffel bag on my shoulder. I met up with Paul. "Follow me please, sir." He directed kindly. I followed him down a path that I had been down a million times. He let me inside. "Ms. Briefs will be on her way down." He walked out the door and shut it behind him.

I set my bag down. "Gohan!" I looked up and Trunks was bolting down the stairs.

Bulma was walking down the steps behind him. "Hey Gohan!" She called excited.

"Hey!" I met them half way enveloping both Trunks and Bulma in a hug.

She smiled excitedly. "I'm so happy to see you!" She shouted. "Now, all the kids will be staying in the rooms we offer at our company getaway. So you can definitely stay with them or you can come over here and stay with us." She walked over to the couch.

I sat down beside her. " I don't know Bulma..." I hestitated. She picked up a mug of coffee that was still steaming on the table that he assistant had set there earlier for her. She took a small sip. "I don't really want to draw attention to myself. I haven't really..." I stopped. "I haven't told people about my relationship with you and your family yet. So, no special treatment!" I insisted.

She set down her mug. "But Gohan! I insist that you spend dinners with us, okay?"

I laughed. "No problem." Trunks filtered into the room holding a couple sodas. He tossed me one. "Thanks!" I flipped up the tab and took a swig. "So, what's on the schedule for the next week?"

Bulma smiled excitedly. "Well we're going to take you guys in a couple Capsule Corp. limos to the factory the first day, we'll take a tour of the products, the Briefs Estate, then you guys will have a free day and "meet the Briefs"" She put in air quotes. "Then there's a huge meteor shower coming that last night you're here so it'll be a recreation day. There's the lounge we have here on the property that you guys can hang out for the day and then you'll go home the next day."

I smiled. "Wow! That sounds great!" I laughed. "So what are we supposed to be doing right now anyway?" I asked.

She shrugged finishing her cup of coffee. "I don't really know. I just thought I would let you guys wander around and get a feel for the place. Get used to your rooms you know? Your class has the top two floors."

I stood up and she stood up with me. "I guess I better get going."

She smiled. "Your class should all be in their rooms, you have the last room on the top floor." She handed me a small key. "I'll see you tonight let's say around seven okay?"

I smiled. "Seven it is." I picked up my things and left the house. I took a slow stroll across the grounds to the other side. I smiled to myself. _This would be fun. A week away from training, a week away from responsibilities. _I sighed contently looking up into the sky. _Nothing could get in the way._

I opened the double doors of the facility and found most of the class lounging in the main room. A group was sitting in front of the main TV screen flipping through channels and another group was taking turns playing fooze-ball, air hockey and pool. I smiled. Bulma really knew how to plan a getaway.

I took the elevator up to the top floor. The elevator doors opened and I walked down the hall opening the last door. I met the face of a smiling Sharpner. "What are the odds?" He winked. I laughed throwing my duffel bag on the empty free queen sized bed. The room opened up right into two beds and lowered down into a sitting area with a couch, a small TV, a table and chairs and a small fridge. Sharpner flung down on the bed.

I made my way out to the sliding glass door, onto the porch that overlooked all of the city and hillsides. There was a small set of table and chairs on the balcony. I sat down on one putting my feet up on the table and leaning back in my chair. I sighed contently. Maybe while everyone else was exploring the grounds I would take the time to relax and unwind. "Gohan?" A small voice to my left rang out.

I dropped my chair and looked over. There stood Videl Satan clutching the railing of her balcony and looking over at me. "No way." I muttered. We exchanged a glance and both darted back into our rooms. In the small sitting area sat a door beside the TV adjacent to the room beside us. I went to open the door. Sharpner sat up. "What are you doing?"

He came beside me and the other door swung open revealing Videl with Erasa peering around behind her. "Sweet!" Erasa smiled and pushed passed us throwing he arms around Sharpner. They immediately went over to the couch sitting together and switching on the television.

Videl and I were still staring at each other. She brushed passed me and let herself inside falling back on my bed. I sat down on Shaprner's. "So where were you earlier?" She questioned staring up at the ceiling.

I fumbled with my thumbs. Had to think of another lie. I crinkled my nose. _Or maybe a half truth?_ "I was um...I was actually at a meeting thing." I admitted.

Videl sat up. She crinkled her nose, "Hey you wanna get out of here?" She nodded over to our friends at the couch. "They can have their alone time and stuff, I just really want to explore the area you know?"

I shrugged. "Sure we can explore!" We both exited to the hall together. Videl pulled out a small piece of paper studying it as we headed for the elevator. "What's that?"

I got close to her peering over her shoulder. She glanced up at me. "It's a map of the grounds." I smirked at her. I reached over her shoulder and pulled the paper out of her hands crumpling it up and tossing it over my shoulder. "Wha-? Hey!" She protested.

She furrowed her eyebrows at me. I smirked. "Why don't we just explore on our own? We'll find our own way around." She stopped folding her arms glaring at me. I grabbed her arm and pulled her down the hall with me. "Come on!" I insisted leading her over to the elevator. I pushed the button and we started our decent.

"What if we get lost?" She argued as I kept tugging. "What if we wander too far and we get into trouble."

The elevator doors let out a little ring and opened. We exited. I scoffed. "Since when is Videl Satan afraid of getting in trouble." I challenged.

She huffed. "I'm not _afraid _of getting in trouble. I just don't want to get caught doing something I'm not supposed to with _you._ I would rather not soil my father's good name."

I snorted. "Yeah his good name..." I muttered.

We stepped out into the midday sunlight. "What?" She asked inattentively.

"Um, nothing." I answered quickly. "How about we take a look at Bulma's private facility?"

Her eyes widened. "You mean her like at home office which-" she chuckled. "-is actually pretty much an at home office building? Can we do that?"

I shrugged. "We can at least look at it from the outside." I was smiling at her.

She raised an eyebrow. "What are you staring at?"

I kept smiling and started heading in the direction that I knew Bulma's lab was. "Nothing." I chuckled.

She caught up to me. "No really!" She insisted. "I let you get away with a bunch of other secrets-" I looked at her. She held up an index finger to my nose. "-**which** I plan on finding out eventually." She promised.

I threw up my hands. "Okay, okay!" I continued down the sidewalk path that broke off into all different directions. "I just think it's ironic that you get star struck about the Briefs when usually people are getting star struck over you."

She looked away blushing. "I think it's just really amazing what they've accomplished!" She defended.

"No no!" I stopped her grabbing her shoulders. "It's-" I bit my lip. "It's cute." She looked up at me searching my eyes. I looked away clearing my throat. "We're here." I nodded up.

In front of us stood a stone white dome building with a blue door and long bay windows. "Wow!" Videl ran up to the window peeking inside. I stood behind her. "Look at that lab!" She awed. "That's incredible."

I smiled. "That's where she does all her private projects." I informed her.

She looked at me. "You know quite a bit about Capsule Corp. don't you?" She narrowed her eyes. "Something you want to tell me?"

I felt my chest tighten. I shrugged. "Well, you know... I guess I'm just a Capsule Corp. fan!" I winked. "Come on, let's go look around some more."

We took the path back to the main driveway and headed down to Vegeta's training area. As we approached it Videl looked at it inquisitively. "What do you think this is?"

I crinkled up my nose in disgust. I hated training with Vegeta in that thing. He got so grumpy whenever I won. I glared at it. "I think it's something she built for her husband." We stopped a couple yards away from the door.

She pursed her lips thinking. "You don't really see much of her husband do you?" She looked up thoughtfully.

I bravely put a hand on the small of her back guiding her away from the building. She looked alarmed. I ignored it. "Hmmm..." I looked up tapping a finger on my lips. "He's the _short _one, right?" I smirked.

Videl chuckled. "He might be short but I hear he's a pretty decent fighter." She started blushing. "Honestly, short or not he's a good looking guy. I mean I would expect no less from Bulma."

"Good looking?" My heart thudded in my chest. "I wouldn't say he's good looking." I scoffed.

We made our way towards the lounge. I looked down at her walking beside me and she met my gaze. She raised an eyebrow. "Jealous, huh?" She inquired.

I laughed. "Trust me Videl when I tell you I am _far _from jealous." I winked at her.

"Huh?" We stopped walking and she tilted her head. "What do you-"

"We're here!"

/

A few hours after lunch I was back in our room working on some economics homework. I bit my lip glaring down at my blank paper. I had to pick an article about crime in our state and crime in another and compare the two. Crime in our city had decreased dramatically after the Cell incident.

The door that tied our room to Videl's swung open. "**Please** tell me you've figured this out." Erasa burst in falling back on Sharpner's bed. I was flipping through different articles on my laptop.

Videl trickled in a moment later sitting on the chair beside my bed. "Sharpner's lucky he doesn't have economics." Videl rolled her eyes. "Where is he anyway?"

I laughed. "He's playing ping pong with some of the guys in the lounge."

"Think you can help us with our homework?" Videl asked.

I smiled at her. "Of course."


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10****: Capsule Corp. Crazy**

Tuesday morning Erasa sauntered into the room. "Morning boys!" She called smiling sweetly. She jumped on Sharpner's bed. "Wake up sleepy head!" She insisted kissing his face several times.

He groaned. "Erasa..."

"Oh come on!" She shook him. "I'm starving." She went into his suitcase grabbing him clean clothes and throwing them on the bed. She studied his clothing. "I don't remember these boxers Sharpie? Have I seen them before?"

I snorted. "Seriously guys. I really don't need to know that you guys screw all the time." I threw off my blanket and walked away from the beds.

Erasa chuckled. "Somebody's grumpy in the mornings. _Screw_? That's a brutal word for you Gohan."

I waved a hand at them going into the girls' adjoining rooms. The door was ajar and I knocked on it lightly. "Videl?" There was no answer. I pushed it open slowly keeping my hand on the doorknob just in case I had to shut it quickly. I pushed in. The bathroom light was on. I walked down into their sitting area. There were papers scattered across the coffee table. I glanced behind me. The bathroom light was still on. I shuffled through some papers. I gasped. "Whoa..." I muttered. In my hand I held a black and white sketch of Cell. The sketch had every perfect detail from perfect Cell. My eyes widened. _The eyes. _Only the eyes had color. His penetrating violet eyes. I closed my eyes. _They were all too real..._

"**Excuse me!**" I turned around still clutching to the drawing of Cell. "What do you think you're doing?" Videl was glaring at me clenching a blow dryer in her hand. Her hair was plastered to her head and she was wearing her usual black spandex and long white tank top.

She stomped over to me. "Videl! Wait! It's not what it looks like-"

She started gathering up her drawings. "They're private!" She shouted.

"Videl they're amazing." She froze.

She set the papers back down. "You think so?" She asked sincerely.

"Yeah, they're great!" I handed her back the picture of Cell. She snatched it out of my hand and placed it on top the stack.

"Well it's just a hobby." She put the sketches in a black bag.

She started towards the bathroom again. "Videl?"

She disappeared into the bathroom. "Yeah?" She called back starting the blow dryer on a low blow setting.

I followed. "I have to ask." I stopped in the doorway. She was looking at me through the foggy mirror. She had rubbed away just a large enough section to see her reflection in the mirror. "How do you know his eyes are purple?" She looked at me skeptically.

She looked back at herself in the mirror. There was a long silence before she spoke again. "It's none of your business." She muttered continuing to blow dry her hair.

I stared at her through the mirror. I knew she saw me staring. "Okay." I answered reluctantly. "But when you're ready to talk, I'll be here to listen." I offered. I turned to go. "Oh and Videl?"

She looked at me again turning off her blow dryer. "Yeah Gohan?"

"If you don't mind. I'd like to see your sketches again sometime." I smiled at her reflection in the mirror.

She smiled back at me. "I'll be ready in ten minutes. Get breakfast?"

/

A few hours later we were standing in front of the Capsule Corp. factory. The students were standing in clusters around the front steps with their heads together. "Listen up!" Dr. Stephens one of the Briefs best scientists was standing on the highest step calling out to us. "My assistant," He gestured to the young squirmy guy in glasses standing beside him. "and I will be giving a tour of the factory. You have your Scavenger Hunt sheets to do afterward."

Everyone groaned. I nudged Videl. "The scavenger hunt will be fun." I smirked. "Be my partner?" I offered boldly.

She looked thoughtfully up at the sky. "I don't know..." She looked over to another cluster of students. "I think Ted would really be into being _my _partner." The jock locked eyes with Videl. He smiled waving excitedly at her. Videl looked at me and I glared back. She sighed. "Yes we can be partners."

"Now then," Dr. Stephens called out. "If you will all follow us into the factory we can begin our tour."

We filed in behind them whispering excitedly to each other. Dr. Stephens droned on about the history of the factory, the idea that sparked the Capsule Corp Company beginnings and what they do at the factory. "Can anybody tell me who invented the actual Capsule family homes?"

I raised my hand. "It was actually Bunny, Dr. Briefs' wife."

Dr. Stephens smiled and winked at me. I spent a lot of time with him meandering around the Capsule Corp. factory when I was a child. "Precisely." Videl looked at me surprised but I ignored it. "Bunny chose the dome shape because she liked the high ceilings. She also chose the dome shape because she loved blowing bubbles."

Everyone laughed and I smiled recalling that story I had heard a thousand times. This was gonna be an easy scavenger hunt.

/

"Okay wait, just wait." Videl insisted.

I smiled at her. "Didn't believe me?"

She shook her head. "One more time!" She pleaded.

I smirked. "Challenge accepted."

I took a couple steps back tilted my head and opened my mouth. I looked at her. She waved her hand for me to go further back. I took a few more steps back. "Stop." I stopped. "Ready? Go!" She tossed a green grape into the air and I followed its fall and then it dropped perfectly in my mouth. I chewed it gratefully and made my way back over to her. "Oh my Kami Gohan! You were like 15 feet away. Seriously?" She laughed enthusiastically.

I shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a pretty talented guy!"

She sat back down on the bench and I sat beside her. She nudged me. "You're full of surprises."

I smirked playfully at her. "Stick around and maybe I'll keep surprising you."

"Well, well, well..." Erasa started. "You two look rather chummy."

I blushed furiously. Videl pursed her lips. "Well you two are _always _together." Videl teased.

A whistle blew and we rose to our feet. "Alright kids! Now it's time for you to begin your scavenger hunt." He clasped his hands together.

Everyone cheered. "Ready partner?" I looked down at Videl.

She smiled up at me confidently. "Ready." She answered.

"On your mark," My eyes scanned the scavenger hunt. _Three items. _"Get set," _Simple. _"Go!"

/

A couple hours later I found myself at Bulma's kitchen table again. Bunny and Bulma were bringing out trays of food and Vegeta was already serving himself several helpings.

"So you won, huh?" She asked sitting down and serving herself food.

I nodded with my mouth full. "Yeah, Videl-" I swallowed down my food. "-my partner. She's brilliant. She's a huge fan of yours."

I took several more bites. Bulma chuckled. "Well you got the four invites I gave you for our Halloween Bash right?"

I nodded excitedly. "Yeah, Videl's gonna freak!"

Bulma looked up thoughtfully. "Videl sounds like a familiar name. Do I know her?"

I stopped mid bite. I rubbed my lips together. "I-I don't think so Bulma." I continued eating as nonchalantly as I could.

"Hmmm..." She shrugged. "Well how's the field trip so far?" She asked enthusiastically. "Oh I just love field trips!" She continued before I could answer. "There's something about going away on a field trip for a few days or for a week that's so magical. Everyone forgets who they are. They forget the boundaries of school. There aren't any cliques. It's amazing." She sighed dreamily. "They're full of curfews that are made to be broken. Forbidden areas that are meant to be explored. Hotel rooms that are meant to have parties." She looked at me. "And at Orange Star High you take three field trips your senior year." She informed me.

I blinked at her. "Do I?"

She nodded. "Yeah, you'll take one in a few months and a senior class trip at the end of the year after prom."

"Prom?" I gulped. I wolfed down more mashed potatoes to try to forget about prom.

"Oh but you have plenty of time to worry about that!" She waved her hand. She smiled challengingly at me. "**But** you only have a few days left of this trip. What are you going to do with it, huh Gohan?"

/

After dinner I slid my key card and entered the room. I ran a hand through my hair. Without training I wasn't getting as tired as I usually did. I sighed flopping down on my bed staring at the ceiling. _What am I gonna do with myself?_

"Long day?" A light voice asked.

I looked over at Sharpner's bed and met Videl's eyes. A small smile fell across my lips. "What are you doing in here?" I teased. I mocked looking around. "As I recall," I looked back at her. "This is a _boys'_ room."

Videl chuckled. "Apparently, Sharpner never gave you the message huh?"

I raised an eyebrow. We were both laying on our backs with our heads turned to each other, an end table separating us. I shook my head. "Whatever message I was supposed to get, I didn't get it."

She pursed her lips then laughed. She turned away looking up. "It looks like Sharpner's gonna be in my room tonight which means I'll be sharing this room with you." She looked back smirking at me.

I squinted up my face in disgust. "Augh, nasty." Videl broke out into a fit of giggles and I laughed alongside her. I couldn't help it. I stared at her chuckling. Her laugh was contagious. I just wanted to hear her laugh forever. "You know, you can't really blame them though. This is a perfect opportunity for them to spend alone time together."

Videl looked back up at the ceiling uncomfortably. "H-have you ever...?" Her voice trailed off and she looked over at me.

I looked at her furrowing my eyebrows trying to study her. _Was she asking me if I had ever..._ I shook my head quickly. "No." I mumbled. I shook my head. "No!" I shouted at her and she looked alarmed. "I mean," I bit my lip. "No." I answered more calmly. "No I've never..." I paused. I rubbed my lips together. "H-have you-?"

She looked at me shaking her head furiously. "No no! Never. I've never..." She cleared her throat uncomfortably. There was an awkward silence.

"Oh!" I sat up reaching into my pocket. "Here." I got up and walked over to Sharpner's bed sitting beside Videl. I handed her the tickets. "Bulma gave us invites to her next party."

Videl squealed. "No way!" She took the tickets from my hand scanning them over. "This is so cool!"

"Yeah!" I answered back enthusiastically. "She gave us four tickets. I was thinking we could give the other two to Erasa and Sharpner and then just go together."

She looked over at me incredulously. "You mean us go together?"

I closed my eyes and smiled embarrassed turning my head away. I sighed. I looked back up at her smiling. "Tell you what." I bit my lip nodding to the door. "There's a concrete basketball court behind the lounge. Play you one-on-one." I smirked. "I win? You go to the Briefs party with me. If you win? I'll leave you alone."

She crinkled her nose. "Yeah, but it's curfew."

"Yeah." I nodded in agreement. "But we only have a few days left of this field trip Videl. Let's make the most of it!" I grabbed her arm heaving her up off the bed. "Come on. Grab my key." She scooped it up as we jogged out the door. She closed it slowly behind her as quietly as she could. "Come on!" I pulled her down the hall.

"Gohan!" She whispered fiercely.

I turned back. "What?" I whispered back. She grabbed my hands and pulled me into a little alcove between the ice maker and snack machine. We shimmied in the alcove. "Videl-"

"Sh, sh, sh." She whispered putting the tips of her fingers over my mouth. I bit my lip looking down at her. She was so close. She was looking out at the hall waiting for someone to pass by. "Okay," She whispered. She looked back up at me. "We can-" She stopped when she noticed how close we were. She cleared her throat and pushed herself back out into the hallway. "We can go! Come on!"

We jogged quietly down the hall and into the elevator. We pressed the bottom floor button. "So here's the deal." I started as the elevator descended. My heart was racing "We get a basketball from the lounge. First to eleven wins. Deal?"

The elevator doors opened and we bolted out the front doors. "Deal."

/

My heart was pumping in my chest. _Thump._ My hands were clamming. _Thump. Thump. _I could feel the sweat slowly trickling down my temples. _Thump. _The back of my neck was wet. My hair was sticking to my head. _Thump. Thump. _I took a deep breath. I closed my eyes... The sound of rubber hitting pavement was ominous. _Thump. _This was going to decide my future. _Thump._ I inhaled deeply. I could smell the brisk night air. I could smell the sound of a fire burning in the fire place of the Briefs household. _Thump. Thump. Thump. _This was it. I looked up at the hoop. I spun the ball in my hand a few times. I jumped and let the ball spin out of my hands. She jumped in front of me but the ball was already over her head. It hit the back board and fell into the net.

I smirked and the ball bounced slowly across the court. "That means I win, doesn't it?"

Videl let her hands fall to her side. "Only by two points." She admitted defeat.

"So," I walked over picking up the ball and putting a loose arm around Videl. "Looks like we'll be going to that party together, huh?" I winked at her laughing.

She glared at me and then broke into a smile. "Yeah, it looks like it. You won fair and square. I can respect that."

She leaned her head into me as we headed back to the room and I closed my eyes begging that she couldn't feel my heart pounding against my chest. She was silent and brooding as we made our way back to our room. "So," I looked down at my phone. _1am._ "Want to tell me what's on your mind?" I asked as I took my arm off Videl and opened our bedroom door.

I swung open the door and let her inside following behind. She shrugged. "Just enjoying my time without my dad." She looked away uncomfortably. "What about you?"

I blinked at her. "I'm just missing mine." I cleared my throat not looking at her.

I turned around and faced her. "Um. Okay." She answered uneasily glancing down and then looking back up at me. She looked conflicted. "Listen Gohan... I know we're not super close-"

"Hey listen, um. I'm all sweaty and gross. I'm going to take a shower okay Videl?"

She nodded. "Okay. Good night." She whispered.

I nodded. "Good night Videl." I murmured back.

/

"I thought you'd come around."

I rubbed my tired eyes. "Yeah, yeah yeah." The door opened and shut loudly behind me echoing in the vast empty room.

"Maybe you should have gone to bed sooner."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't need more sleep to beat you." I shifted from foot to foot shaking out my limbs trying to wake my body up.

"We'll see about that. While you've been playing games late at night with your little _girlfriend_ I've been training like a real Saiyan."

I stopped moving and glared at him. "She's not my girlfriend. And I bet you were a real jack ass on Planet Vegeta."

He smirked. "I was the prince I was allowed to be a jack ass."

I cracked my neck and put up my fists. "Let's do this."

/

I pushed the door open and shut it carefully behind me. I flopped down on the bed. I was tired. Ashamed. Embarassed. Sweaty. My face was in my pillow. Maybe if I'm lucky it would suffocate me. _Yup. That would be pretty great. _I groaned. I sat up and made my way into the bathroom and into the shower. I stripped down, turned on the faucet and let the warm water wash my defeat away. _Losing to Vegeta..._ I reached for the shampoo and began massaging my aching head. I was getting soft. I was getting weak. I clenched my fist as the shampoo rinsed out of my hair. I had to focus. I had to concentrate. My father was **dead**. I had to do his job now. I started to wash the grime and blood off my body. The bruises were starting to rise... I winced. It's a good thing it was getting colder. Long sleeves wouldn't be such a bad idea.

I turned the water off and climbed out of the shower haphazardly toweling off. My aching muscles were crying out to me. I put the towel around my waist and crept out of the bathroom. I looked over at Videl. _Still sleeping. _I dropped my towel and shimmied into some clean boxers and some jeans. I sat at the edge of my bed facing the teal door leading into our bedroom. I sighed. "Kami, where did I go wrong?" I put my face in my hands.

Something stirred behind me and I lifted my head. "You believe in Kami?" A tired raspy voice emerged from the bed beside mine. I turned around. Videl was lying on her side facing the other direction.

"You don't?" I tried.

There was a small pause. "No." She said tiredly. I turned back around facing the door. I could feel her getting out of bed and stretching. "It's okay." She shrugged. "It's about sixty-forty in our class."

"Wait what?" I tried. I could hear her voice getting closer. "I did a survey last year for a class and about 40% believe in Kami and 60% don't." She stopped. "I think after the whole Cell thing a lot of people lost their faith in him. So many died..." Her voice trailed off. She sat down beside me. I put my arms around my naked biceps trying to conceal them. "Your back..." She murmured.

I glanced over to her. "What?"

She reached a hand out. "Your back is bruised. I-it's scarred! Did you get mugged? What happened?" Her finger tips briskly touched my back and I felt them burning into my skin.

"I-It's nothing." I stood up adjusting my jeans. I walked over to my suitcase. I started pulling things out. "You have your secrets Videl and I have mine." I grabbed a long sleeve black thermal and put it on. I had to shut her out. I had to be alone. I would **never** let her in.

Videl stood up pulling me to face her. Her hair was a mess in several directions. Her big black shirt was falling off her shoulder. The shirt fell just above her knee and she was wearing dark gray sweat pants. "You can hide all you want Gohan." She was gripping my arm tightly. "You can lie. You can keep secrets. But I am the _queen_ of figuring out all I need to know about my opponents. And I **will** find out everything I need to know about you. It's a guarantee." She let go of my arm and brushed passed me slamming the bathroom door shut.

I groaned. "You're insane! Did you know that?!" I shouted at the closed bathroom door. "I'm leaving without you!" I pulled open the door and slammed it shut behind me. I looked right. Sharpner was standing in the doorway of Videl and Erasa's room. "What!" I snapped.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: I believe in Kami, do you?**

On the second day we were given a tour of all the latest and new products that hadn't been released yet. It was an interactive self-tour. We were supposed to explore the building like an interactive museum and take a quiz at the end of the tour given by our homeroom professor. As we entered the top secret building the first section to tour were latest mini home models and apartment complexes and mansions. Erasa pressed her nose to the glass. "Look at this mansion Videl!"

Videl stood beside her with her arms crossed smirking. "I know it's great isn't it? My dad was able to get a hold of a copy of that from one of Capsule's CEOs. He wants to tear down that awful sketchy discount store where everything is like 99 cents and build it there. It would move us to the heart of the city."

Erasa squealed. "That would be awesome! Would he keep the country house?"

Videl nodded. "Oh yeah, definitely. I'm attached to that place. He wouldn't sell it."

I stood on the other side of Erasa staring at the model also. I furrowed my eyebrows. Bulma really out did herself this time. I shook my head. "Tear down the 99 Cent store?" I paused. "Not gonna happen."

I turned my heel and started walking away. Videl and Erasa appeared on both sides of me. "What do you mean _not_ gonna happen?"

We exited the housing area and started towards the household gadgets. "I _mean," _I continued. "That discount store is going to help you out some day." I stared pointedly at Videl.

Erasa snorted. "No way! Videl is rich and famous Gohan, she can't be caught dead in there." She stuck her tongue out in disgust. "Blegh, I can't even imagine going in there."

Videl crinkled her nose. "Not to mention some slummy people go there. If we were to tear it down and build over it I think we'd be helping the crime rate too!"

I was ahead of them by now picking up a new cupcake maker. I looked over at Sharpner who was fiddling with the blender. "It's got a waffle setting too!"

Sharpner set down the blender. "Let me see." He adjusted some settings and read the back of the box. He looked up at me. "Wow! We could really use one of these bro."

I nodded excitedly. "I know! Waffles and cupcakes for breakfast!" I explained.

We laughed and he picked up another one. "And we _have_ to get the pink one."

Erasa cleared her throat and we looked at them. "Are you even _listening_ to us?"

He put down the box. "No!" We said in unison and proceeded into the area of vehicles.

Our steps echoed in the vastness of the room. The ceilings were high with elegant low lights. The floor was made of marble and the walls were stone with tall pillars from ceiling to floor. "Classy." Sharpner commented.

I nodded. "Classy indeed." I agreed.

"Wow!" Videl exclaimed. "Check these out! These are all the new copters and planes. This room is gigantic!" I tilted my head in amusement as she walked away from us to explore the area. I watched her look at the outside of every copter from every angle. She had her notebook out jotting down every detail that held importance to her. A small smile tugged at my lips as she started chatting to Erasa. "These copters will be perfect for the police squad when they come out. The handling is supposed to be amazing and the landing gear is supposed to be really safe." She shrugged. "They have trouble landing."

I looked at her from far away. The way she laughed at her own jokes, the hidden care for most of humankind, the tough exterior, the challenge. I loved the way her eyes widened when she saw something she liked, the way she furrowed her eyebrows when she didn't, she crinkled her nose when she was being pensive. I studied her. She was hiding so many things. _There was so much I still didn't know..._

"You okay, Nerdboy?" Sharpner winked at me standing beside me.

I chuckled. Nerdboy was starting to feel more like a nickname than an insult. "Yeah, I'm good."

"What are you looking at?" He stood beside me trying to see.

I bit my lip debating whether or not to answer that when suddenly, "Sharpner!" We looked up at followed Erasa's voice back to her. "This black copter is gorgeous! Honey, we _need _one!"

I blinked. It was mine. The copter that was sitting in my capsule case, in my hotel bag. _It was mine._ "This is pretty nice Sweetie." He looked at it reading the description and facts on the small sign in front of it. "It's the biggest engine in any of the Capsule Corp. copters, umm... it also says here that there's a GPS tracking system..." He scanned his finger across it again.

"Not to mention the weaponry." Videl gestured to the front of the copter.

Erasa squealed. "Look, it says right here they've only sold six prerelease copters." I could feel Videl's eyes on me. "They were sold to special clients and friends. That'd probably be a good fact to know." She started jotting it down.

"Yeah, definitely." Videl mumbled quietly.

/

Later that evening our senior class was sitting around in the recreation room around the big screen. "What movie is on the agenda for tonight guys?" Sharpner plopped down as the room hushed. I raised an eyebrow at the crowd. Near the front there was a couch resting perfectly up front in the middle seating four. Sharpner leaned over to me. "Stick with me nerd, these kids will worship the ground we walk on."

He winked and pulled Erasa close to him walking forward. I stood behind him watching his confident, cocky strides. He was on top of the world in a place like this. I scanned the faces of the crowd. Even the jocks were in awe of him. Gazes glanced timidly between Erasa and Sharpner and Videl. _Videl. Sometimes... I forget she's famous._ The root of all Sharpner and Erasa's power stemmed from Videl. I watched her closely. She seemed unnerved, unaware, …careless even to the people standing around her – holding their breaths as they waited for her next move. I followed closely behind her trying not to get swallowed up into the crowd closing in on her.

We sat down on the couch and the crowd closed in getting comfortable. Sharpner and I were shoved in the middle of the couch. "This is a little..." Sharpner started.

"Bromantic?" I offered looking over at how close we are.

Videl giggled. I smiled over at her. She smiled back at me. "So what are we watching?" A jock sitting next to Videl in a comfy bean bag chair leaned over beaming up at Videl. He had light brown hair, with piercing blue eyes, and a dazzling smile. I'd seen more than one girl fall at the knees for him. Videl shrugged. He flashed his pearly teeth. "I guess it doesn't matter. I would be fine just sitting here watching you."

Videl fought back a smile. She snorted. "Please Matthew." I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "I'm sure that works on most girls, but I'm not interested." I relaxed slightly. _Good._ I gritted my teeth. _She better not be…_

"Hey bro, are you alright?" Sharpner nudged me. A small sizzle erupted. "Ah! Hey you're burning up!" He shouted.

I took a deep breath trying to power down and relax. _Why was I getting so mad?_ "I'm fine." I answered. "If it's okay with you I'm just gonna sit on the floor and lean up against the couch." I moved down and leaned my head back on the couch. _Stupid, stupid, girl._

The lights went down and the movie began. The music started, the movie started up on the screen. It was an animation. I leaned my head back looking up at Videl. "It's a kid film!" I whispered excitedly.

Videl laughed and leaned down. "It's the Lorax!" We laughed again.

I looked back at the screen. "Goten would love this."

She leaned down again. One of her pigtails fell and tickled the back of my neck. Goosebumps shot down my arms, across my chest and down to my toes. "It's cute how close you are to your brother. You're lucky you have a sibling." She paused. "I've always wanted one." She leaned back on the couch.

I suddenly felt cold. I missed the smell of her hair; I missed her voice in my ear... I shook my head. _This isn't happening._

/

_I was frozen. Sweat was trickling down my arms, my legs and my face. He was huge. Enormous. There was no way. I could never be my father. My father was gone. I could never be him. They were all stupid for thinking I could take his place. I deserved to die. I was frozen in fear. I deserved to die. I deserved to be with my dad. I wanted to be with my dad. I didn't want this anymore. I regretted ever wanting this. I should have left things the same. Things had to be the same. _

_A beam of energy came my way. I knew this was it. There was no more for me. There was nothing left. "__**Gohan!**__" I could hear him shouting. "__**Gohan move!**__" Piccolo's voice was loud. Urgent. Demanding. And dare I say he was full of fear? I heard footsteps. I could feel energy moving my way from another direction. I blinked and when I opened my eyes again he was there. Green. Standing in front of me. Blocking me. Defending me. Protecting me. I could hear his voice. He loved me. _

"_Gohan."_

"Gohan."

"**Gohan?!" **

I opened my eyes for a second everything was blurry. There was a dim light. It hurt to look at. I closed them again. I felt a hesitant hand run through my hair. "Gohan..."

My eyes fluttered open. My head was propped up on a knee. "What." I mumbled.

"You can sleep through anything." I rubbed my head on the knee groaning. There was a squeal and laughter from a small crowd of people. Suddenly I took a blow to my left cheek. **SMACK!** A hand slapped across my face. Instinctively, I grabbed the hand and pulled it around so my attacker would face me. The laughing ceased and sitting in front of me was Videl. My hand was enclosed tightly around her wrist. She was staring at me dumbfounded. She shook her head and started to writhe in my wrist. "Let go of me!" She grunted. "Don't make me hurt you again!"

I let go of her wrist. There was an imprint of a red hand wrapped around it. "I-I'm sorry." I apologized I looked behind me. Erasa and Sharpner were still sitting on the couch. I stood to my feet and brushed myself off. "I-I'm going to go to bed." I rubbed the back of my neck.

"Good night." A crowd of murmurs arose. I looked at the small left over crowd. I swung the double doors open and started for the hotel.

The doors swung open again and Videl came stomping out. "Hold it right there!" She shouted. I froze and turned around. "Do you mind telling me what that was all about?" She folded her arms and planted herself firmly on the ground. "I slapped you out of a tickling reflex. And I have to say no _normal _person would have reacted that fast." She folded her arms across her chest. "Really Gohan. That _was_ impressive." I looked at her. She was being honest. "However, I would like to know where you learned to do that." I shrugged. She took a couple steps forward. "Or maybe you were just quick because you were looking for a reason to fight me. Is that it?"

I shook my head. "It's not like that Videl-"

"Oh really?" She asked sarcastically. "Because if it's a fight you're looking for, I can give you one."

I took a deep breath. I had to remain calm. I could control myself. I had to. I couldn't fight Videl. I opened my mouth to speak. I couldn't form words. I couldn't think straight. I was about to explode. She was staring at me, her eyes unchanging, her stance strong, her hands out ready to defend my first attack. Her breathing had slowed to a steady calming rhythm. _To say she wasn't a real fighter would be an insult to the art. But to say that she was actually a threat to me?_ I snorted._ Well that __**would**__ be an insult to me._

I turned away and started in the direction of Vegeta's training area. I could feel her energy weakening behind me as she let her fists down and her guard down. "Gohan, where are you going?" She shouted fiercely. I didn't answer. My footsteps echoed down the concrete driveway. "I'm going to find out Gohan!" She shouted. Still, I didn't answer. "I know you're hiding something. You want us all to **trust** you." I winced at the sarcasm in her voice but I continued my journey. "Well I **don't!" **The night was quiet. There was a cold brisk chill in the air. Or maybe that one just stung…

I knew she was still standing there, watching me, waiting for me to respond. Eventually I knew I was out of eyesight. I smirked. But not out of mind. I had to train with Vegeta. I was confident I was going to win tonight. Videl gave me that extra boost of morale. I smiled. I wasn't worried about her. When I got back to the room, she was still going to be up waiting for me.

/

The following morning I woke up to a pillow smack in the face. It startled me and I sat up instantly looking for the coward with a weapon instead of a fist. "Wake up!" Videl shouted.

I groaned and fell back into the bed putting the thrown pillow over my face. "When'sm Sharpmner comingm backm."

I could hear opening and closing some cabinets in the bathroom. "So he speaks." She commented.

I threw the pillow off me and stared up at the ceiling. I groaned again pulling the covers up and over my bare chest to hide my arms. I snuggled my face into the pillow and closed my eyes. Videl pulled the covers off me and I curled my legs up to my chest. "You're loving this aren't you?" I muttered with my eyes closed putting the pillow back over my face.

There was silence between us but I knew she was still standing nearby. "Hey, who's um... who's Piccolo?"

I removed the pillow from my face and looked at her fully. Her hair was in her natural messy pigtails. Her eyes were still puffy from sleep. She had a lopsided uncomfortable grin on her face. Her eyes were searching mine for honesty. They were filled with – dare I say... _concern. _I put the pillow back over my face. "Why do youm asmk?" I mumbled into the pillow.

She sat down at the edge of my bed throwing the pillow off the bed. I winced and opened a cautious eye. "You were dreaming about him last night. I didn't want to wake you."

I blinked at her. I sat up and brushed past her. "It's no one that concerns you." Silence. "What's on the agenda for the day?" I grabbed a change of clothes and headed for the bathroom.

Videl's voice came through the door. "It's our Brief estate tour." I started the sink washing my face. I opened the door now that I was dressed to hear her better. I rinsed my face and reached for my tooth brush. "Oh! And we're also meeting the Briefs today!"

I stared at myself in the mirror panicking. I could tell her right now. I could tell her the truth. I could tell her everything. _I've known the Briefs my whole life. My father is the greatest fighter in the universe. I killed Cell. And Oh! Did I mention I'm half alien? No? Yeah that too._ I started brushing my teeth.

"They're calling us in groups of four to meet them throughout the Briefs Estate tour." She called out. I spit into the sink rinsing my toothbrush and rinsing out my mouth. I appeared in the doorway. She was sitting on her bed looking up at me. I looked at her. I couldn't stop staring. If any kind of slip up happened... she would never forgive me. I would be just like her father. Just full of **lies. **She tried to smile at me. "What's wrong?"

My heart was bursting in my chest. This was it. This was everything. "Videl," I sat down beside her. The bed creaked beneath me. She looked alert. She looked ready. This is what she wanted. She was winning. She was getting everything she wanted. She was going to get the truth. She was right. She was the queen of figuring everything out. I bit my lip looking directly at her. "Videl I have something to tell you."

The side door slammed against the wall. Erasa came barging in with Sharpner following closely behind. "Videl can you clear something up for us?"

From the corner of my eye I saw Videl hang her head before looking back up and addressing them. "What are you guys arguing about _this _time?"

I ran a hand through my hair. I was so close to telling her. I still had to. She had to know-

"Tell Sharpner there is no such thing as Kami's lookout."

I froze. "Wait what?" We shouted. Wait. _We?_ I looked at Videl. Apparently we were in sync on this one.

Videl shook her head ignoring me looking directly at Sharpner. "You believe in Kami's lookout?"

He shrugged. "Yeah," He went over to his suitcase and flipped through some of his clothes. "When I was little my dad used to tell me stories about going to Kami's lookout." I raised an eyebrow. "I'm not crazy." He defended taking off his shirt.

Videl snorted. "Gohan has the courtesy to at least change in the bathroom."

He scoffed. "No offense to my good pal Gohan, but have you seen me shirtless?" He turned around and faced us full on. "How can you resist this?"

I fought back a laugh. Videl rolled her eyes. "Disgusting Sharpner. Anyway, Erasa wins this argument."

There was a slight pause as everyone recalled the previous discussion. "Wait?" I looked over at Videl and we met eyes. "You don't believe in Kami's lookout."

She chuckled. "Of course not."

I stared at her fully. She was wearing a purple v-neck with a pair of cut off jean shorts. Black sneakers and her hair was pulled back into a high long black ponytail. She was looking directly into my eyes. "I believe in Kami's lookout." I admitted.

Erasa glanced down at her phone. "Hey, as much as I love this soul searching, I think it's time to go down and do the Briefs Tour."

My heart was pounding.

It was the calm before a storm.

It was almost like the serene moment you feel as a fighter right before you're heading into your potential death.

The three of them were talking but I didn't hear a word.

I was about to be exposed.

They were about to know me for who I truly was.

A liar.

/

George Bernard Shaw once wrote, _"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing."_

I've always been a fan of George Bernard Shaw, his books _Love Among the Artists, _his dramas _The Man of Destiny, The Glimpse of Reality..._

But never did I think I would see his books, his works, his words and his wisdom come into my own life. Never once did I think novels, draas, or movies ever applied to me. I just thought that's all they were. Movies. Songs. Books..

Until now. Until I realized that my life is its own book with a protagonist, its own song with a sappy hook, or its own movie with a plot twist.

_Nope._

Not until now.

_T-Minus 24 minutes... no wait! Make that 23 minutes._

My palms were sweaty. I kept rubbing them on my jeans. Sure, some say that my nervousness might be completely ridiculous, but to me? It wasn't. Not in the slightest. I ran a hand through my hair.

If everything went according to plan. If everything ended up okay – then sure I had **no** reason to worry. _But the thing of it is?_ **Nothing, **ever went according to plan. Did we _plan_ for me to ever be a fighter? **No.**__I was supposed to be a scholar. Did we _plan_ for Vegeta to become our friend? **No.** That was a plus...or...mistake? _I don't really know._ What I'm saying is, **nothing** ever went as planned.

"Gohan?" I looked up from my very interesting fingers. Erasa was staring at me. "Is everything okay?"

I swallowed hard. "Y-yeah!" I lifted my hand up and rubbed the back of my neck. It was a subconscious response whenever anything made me uncomfortable. "Everything is great!" I shouted a little louder than I intended and they winced.

"O-oh kaaay..." Erasa looked away uncomfortably.

I mentally hit myself in the face. I stared at the wall. _What I ought to do is actually hit myself in the face. Make my nose bleed... A nose bleed could save me. _I snorted. _Pfff, yeah like a nosebleed would actually impair me from doing something. _I shook my head. _Well maybe..._ I smirked. _If I hit myself in the face I could see that happening... Only __**I**__ could beat __**me**__ up._ My smile fell. _Well sometimes Vegeta..._

"Must be some interesting conversation you're having in your head now."

I looked left. "Oh." I blushed. Videl was staring at me with an expression on her face I'd grown to adore. I crinkled my nose. _Yeah adore sounds stupid..._ But it was true. She had her arms crossed with a half-smile curled up on the left side of her face. She furrowed her eyebrows raising the left one in a mocking questioning way. I bit my lip. I had to say something. _Anything. _Any excuse just to keep looking at her. "I guess I'm just nervous."

Videl's smirk fell and she smiled sincerely. "I'm a little nervous too." She admitted. It was these moments of weakness, moments of vulnerability that I had grown so used to in the last month I was at school. Sure she could snap any moment and just get angry and start shouting at me, but that's what I liked about her. She was temperamental. I never knew what was going to happen. Or what I was going to get. Or what I was going to do right or wrong to set her off.

_Click!_

I turned and looked ahead of us. The door unlocked and swung open. A woman stood in front of the doorway. She was thin, her hair was graying and she was wearing a brown pantsuit. "You guys are up!" She said excitedly.

Erasa squealed with delight bouncing up and down with her hands on Sharpner's shoulders. "This is it!" She whispered excitedly in his ear.

We filed into the room. I was last. I shut the door behind me.

There they were.

Bulma. Vegeta. Bunny. And Dr. Briefs.


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Starting Over**

I looked up. _Dende you seriously better spot me on this one._ I looked back down. My fingers crossed down at my side. Hopefully, Bulma remembered to tell Bunny and Dr. Briefs.

"Hi!" Bulma smiled excitedly looking pointedly at Erasa. "I love the bob cut!" She winked at her.

Erasa smiled. "Thanks!" She squealed. "Okay, well I'm Erasa and this is my boyfriend Sharpner."

"Hi." Sharpner answered shaking Bulma's hand.

Bulma peered over them. I nodded to her. "Gohan." I said. She nodded back.

"And you are...?" She looked at Videl.

Videl stepped forward. "I'm Videl. It's really an honor to meet you Mrs. Briefs-"

Bulma waved a hand. "Please call me Bulma. Not even my mom goes by Mrs. Briefs!" She laughed enthusiastically.

"Okay, _Bulma," _I smiled at her. I liked seeing her awestruck. The only time I ever got to see that was when I was Saiyaman. It was nice to see it as Gohan. "Well I just wanted you to know that I'm a huge fan. And I know we don't have very long with you but I would _love_ to pick your brain sometime!"

Dr. Briefs smiled and came forward. "Well it's not very often we see very many enthusiastic young ones when it comes to science and inventions. I'm Dr. Briefs and this is my wife Bunny." He held out a hand.

"Yooo hooo!" She shouted over from the couch she was sitting on.

"And where are _my_ manners?" A low growl emerged from the form that was Vegeta. He was looked at me deliberately. "I'm _Vegeta_. Bulma's husband." Bulma shot him a glare. "You haven't said much...Gohan was it?" He stood up walking slowly towards me. His eyes never left mine.

"Yeah." I answered back dryly.

He stopped right in front of me. "Well do you have any questions for my _wife._ Or for the Doctor over here. Or... for myself perhaps?"

I stared at him. If he wanted to play games we could play games. "As a matter of fact I do."

A flash of surprise danced across his face. He smirked. "Do go on." He encouraged.

"What made you so _special_ that the smartest woman in the world married you?" I asked innocently.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "I guess her last mate just didn't cut it."

I raised an eyebrow in mock curiosity. "Really? I thought he was a national famous baseball player?" I questioned. "I can't imagine why a woman would trade in a famous baseball player for...wait-" I paused putting an index finger on my mouth and looking up at the ceiling. "What exactly is it that you do?"

He snapped closing the gap between us with one swift stride and poking me roughly in the chest. "You know **exactly** what I do!" He shouted. "I save puny little _brats _like you from-"

"**Gohan!"** Vegeta and I looked into the doorway I had just come from. Standing in the doorway was a small white haired boy with a disgruntled embarrassed woman behind him.

"I'm sorry-" She started pulling at Trunks. "I just couldn't-"

He pulled away from her jumping up and down energetically beside me. "I didn't know you were coming over again!"

Bulma came forward. "Trunks-"

He ignored her jumping up into the air. I caught him easily and swung him around putting him in front of Bulma. "Where's Goten?" He glanced around the room. "You didn't bring him this time?" He shrugged. "Man, I had some new toys to show him and some old ones to give him." He beamed at me. "You should see the new stuff my grandpa made me. Huh Grandpa?"

Dr. Briefs pulled Scratch from over his shoulder and cradled him in his arms. "Yes well-" He stopped.

This was it. There was nothing to say. There was no way of getting around this. No excuses. Nothing. I could feel Videl's eyes on me.

"Oh my!" Bunny exclaimed. She started ushering Dr. Briefs from the room. "Come on Darling, let's go. I think they need the room." She spun Vegeta around. "You too dear." Vegeta glared at her. "I'll make us all a nice big dinner." His gaze softened and he followed willingly managing to leave with dignity. She looked over her shoulder. "And Trunks dear, how about you come along too. I can make some cookies."

"Wow! Sure thing!" He started bouncing away. Before leaving he turned around, "Hey Gohan, come to my room after you're done. I'll show you all the new stuff."

They left through another side door that lead over to the kitchen. Before it shut Bunny popped her head back in. "Gohan dear, please feel free to come over for some cookies. I think you'll need some!" She called as the door swung shut behind her.

There was absolute silence when the door shut. I couldn't look up from Bulma's marble flooring. In fact I refused. I couldn't face them.

"Gohan?" It was Sharpner that spoke. I looked up at him. "Do you mind explaining what this is to me?"

Bulma stood beside me. "I-" I paused. "I don't know what to say after a display like that really..."

"How about starting with the truth?" Erasa piped up.

I sighed rubbing the back of my neck. "Okay..." I inhaled deeply and exhaled. "Here it goes."

Bulma squeeze my arm briefly and pulled away. I knew she was reminding me to be as vague as possible. I still had to be careful what I told them. I still had to have secrets. I still had to keep my family and my friends safe. I looked back at my new friends. I finally willed myself to lock eyes with Videl. She was staring at me. Empty. Searching.

"The truth is... Bulma's been a family friend since before I was born. I mean, I didn't get to meet her until I was like four, but I've known her pretty much my whole life." I rubbed my lips together. No one spoke. I looked back down. "She's my mom's best friend." I paused. "That's the truth."

There was a long pause. I could feel everyone's presence but no one was moving, no one was uttering a word. I looked up at Videl. Her face was blank. For once, I couldn't read anything. She was putting up walls again. Sure, they never came down, but I was so close. We were almost there. She finally blinked.

She looked directly at Bulma. "It was a pleasure meeting you. I hope we can talk soon." She bowed politely and left the room.

"Videl!" I called out taking a step forward.

Bulma stopped me. "Leave her be." She muttered.

The door was left ajar and I could hear her footsteps echoing down the long hallway of Bulma's mansion and finally they were gone. I hung my head.

"Why didn't you just tell us?" I looked up at Erasa. She was looking back at me with a puzzled expression on her face.

I was surprised at her lack of anger. "I just thought you'd have more questions and I just thought you'd treat me differently."

She laughed. "We wouldn't have treated you differently." She answered.

I shook my head. "You would have. I've seen the way people around our school treat Videl because of her dad. All these people that only like her because Mr. Satan is famous." I shrugged. "I didn't want that. I just wanted real friends."

Erasa came forward. "I understand that, but you didn't have to lie to us silly." She ruffled my hair.

Sharpner appeared beside me. "Yeah man, it's no big deal! Not to us!" He glanced at Erasa. "Videl on the other hand..." He looked unsure. "She has enough trust issues as it is. I'm not quite sure you'll be seeing her for awhile..."

Bulma smiled. "Maybe I can talk to her." She suggested.

I shook my head. "No, I better try first."

/

So this was it. I took a deep breath.

One more time:

_Videl, I'm sorry I lied to you. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted to make sure people liked me for me. I was afraid that if they knew I was close with people as famous and rich as the Briefs that they would treat me differently and try to get things out of me – I know that's no excuse and I should have told you. But I'm sorry. Please forgive me._

I nodded. That was good. I swiped the key card and opened the door. I knew she was there sitting on her bed. I could feel her energy outside the door. She was on her laptop typing furiously at the keys.

"Videl-"

"Don't." She startled me. Her voice was low and passive. She clicked on a few things and then shut her laptop. She was staring at her knees. "You _lied_ to me."

"Videl please-"

"No." She swung her feet off the bed and approached me. "I was beginning to _trust _you. You know how hard that is for me?"

"Yeah, I've heard-"

"Exactly." She cut me off. "You could have just told me!"

"Videl please, you can still trust me." I urged coming forward.

She lunged back away from me like I had a disease. "Tell me why." I opened my mouth. "And tell me the _honest_ truth!" She added.

"Honestly?" I eased slightly. "I was just protecting myself and my family."

"From what?" She demanded.

I shook my head. "I can't tell you-"

"You can't tell me!" She mocked. "That's just fine Gohan." She came towards me. "I just need some space." She had her bag in her hand and she tossed the key on the bed.

"Where are you going?" I asked abandoning our current conversation.

She sighed pulling another room key out of her pocket. "I'm staying down the hall?"

"What?!" I shook my head trying to process the information. "Wait, with who?" I demanded.

She shrugged. "I'm staying with Matthew and Skittles."

"What?!" She started for the door. I intercepted her. "Hold on. Matthew? The football player. The jock. The **guy**?"

She nodded brushing passed me. "Yes, the _guy._"

I followed her out the door. "Hold on. And _Skittles?_ What kind of name is Skittles?" My voice was rising but I didn't care.

She stopped and turned around to me. "I don't know!" She shouted frustratedly. "I think his real name is Anthony-" She shook her head. "But who cares? The point is I'm staying with _them_." She turned around and I snatched the key from her hand. "Hey!" She screamed.

People were popping their heads out of their hotel rooms. "Videl, wait I just don't think we're communicating right-"

She grabbed the key back from me. "Leave me alone." She insisted. She started down the hall and stopped in front of a door that was propped open by a Nike basketball shoe.

"Videl wait-" I tried.

She stopped in the doorway. I started towards her. Two guys poked their heads over Videl from a few feet back. "Gohan, give it up." She slammed the door in my face.

/

I plopped down in defeat on the unused bed in Erasa and now Sharpner's room.

I groaned. "She's soooo maaaaaaaad." I whined. I fell back and laid on my back staring at the ceiling. "She's insane! She's nuts!" I continued.

Erasa sighed sitting on the other bed next to Sharpner. "I figured as much." She admitted. "What a shame..." I looked over at her. "I really thought you two were hitting it off. I haven't seen Videl smile and laugh that much in a long time."

I closed my eyes picturing her face. Trying to hear her laugh. Why did it have to be me that made her mad?

I opened my eyes. "I'm going to get it back."

"What?" Sharpner and Erasa asked in Unison.

"I'm going to make her forgive me." I sat up looking at them.

Sharpner stared at me blankly. "Good luck with that." He snorted.

I shook my head. "We were connecting. At least I was. I've never had anything like that before."

Erasa stared at me. "Oh my Kami!" She shouted. "You were falling for her. You were already falling for her!" She insisted excitedly. She stopped. "You know nothing about her." She looked at me skeptically.

"But that's just it!" I looked directly at Erasa. "I want to.. I _have_ to. I have to know everything about her." I shook my head. "I've made a lot of mistakes." I closed my eyes for a brief moment remembering Piccolo and my dad both dying for me. "But if I let all of my mistakes stop me then that wouldn't really be living would it?"

/

Ten minutes later I was running down the hall heading straight for Matt and _Skittle's?_ Room. I started pounding on the door.

A few seconds later Videl opened the door. "Gohan-"

"No Videl – Just listen" I held up my hands to silence her. "I'm sorry okay? I'm really sorry"

"Gohan-"

"Stop!" She furrowed her eyebrows offended. "No listen. I want another chance-no I need another chance. I deserve another chance." She looked more offended. "I promise no more secrets. No more lies." She opened her mouth.

She said nothing. She stared at me. "Listen Gohan, I don't need you to tell me everything. I don't need you to tell me all your deep dark secrets."

I was slightly confused. "I thought the whole problem was that I kept secrets from you."

"If you don't want to tell me the truth then don't tell me at all." She shook her head. "I'm fine with that. I understand that!" I looked at her. She was something else. She was demanding. She was tough. She was a fighter. She never gave up. And whether or not she would admit it, she was forgiving. I held out a hand and she shook it.

I smirked.

_You're on Videl Satan._

/

It was 7pm. I was shooting some pool alone in the lounge. I was lining up my next shot when a piece of paper hit the table and obscured my vision. I stood straight. "Gohan, what's this all about?" Sharpner asked.

Erasa was latched onto his arm. "Yeah, what's with the mysterious invitation?" She questioned.

"Well I-"

The door opened interrupting us. Matthew and Skittles came over to us. Matthew glanced me up and down. "What's with this?" He asked. "Me and Skittles here got an invitation to meet Gohan at the pool table."

"Hang on one second you guys. We're just waiting on one more-" I looked over them. Videl came towards us and I smiled. "Actually perfect." Videl appeared beside Skittles. "And now that we're all here. I guess it's time to start." The crowd was skeptical. I smirked. I loved games. "So here's the deal. It's no secret anymore that Bulma and I are great friends. She was one of my dad's best friends so she's been around my whole life. That being said I have access to everywhere on these grounds."

Sharpner chuckled. "What? Now that we all know you've got the hookups you're going to get all cocky on us?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Moving along," I reached into my backpack that was sitting at my feet. I unzipped the bag and pulled out several envelopes. "So even though I've been here for about a month I feel like I don't know any of you. So this is a way for me to get to know you." I started passing out the envelopes. "It's a dare night." I stated.

Videl reached for one of the envelopes opening it. "What's this?"

"It's a dare." I answered bluntly. "We can break off into groups and go do these dares."

Videl smirked. "Aaand what makes you think we'll do these so called _dares?_" She challenged.

I let out a light chuckle. "Got any other plans?" There was a moment of silence. Everyone reached out grabbing their own stack of envelopes. "So," I continued. "Each envelope contains seven dares. Each dare is worth two points. It is..." I looked down at my phone. "almost 8pm. I'll set my watch for 3 hours. We meet back here at 11. Whoever has done the most dares gets the most points."

Matthew twirled the envelope in his hand. "How will you know if we've done the dare? Couldn't we just lie about doing the dare?"

I smiled. "I thought this could be a problem. So," I reached down into the backpack. "I got these from Dr. Briefs." I set down small hand held video cameras on the pool table. "Dares are only counted when we catch them on film."

"Whoa dog! These are siiiick!" Skittles picked one up and pointed the camera around the room. "Bulma's great! I can't believe she's gonna let us borrow gear like this!"

"So what do you guys say? Time to make the teams?" I offered up. A group unison of 'yeahs' and 'sures' resonated from the crowd. "Okay, so pick your teams and let's get to it!"

Erasa squealed excitedly. "Two teams?"

I nodded. "Two teams would be great."

Sharpner laughed. "Okay, well how about me, my girl and Matthew? And you three can be a team!"

I smiled. "Sounds great! Alright guys, take a camera, take an envelope and let's go! The time starts...now."


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Dare Night**

Skittles was bouncing up and down excitedly. "So, what's the first thing on the list?"

Videl opened the first envelop and pulled out the card that had a 1 on it. She smiled. "It says, _Return all the articles of clothing from this backpack to their original owners while wearing them. _Wait what backpack?"

I smirked. "The one on the floor."

Videl reached down and unzipped the back pack pulling out a couple shirts, a pair of pants, a pair of boxers and two bras. "So we put on all these clothes and go door to door to each room until we find whose clothes these are? Gohan! You were stealing people's clothes! There are **bras** in here!"

I smiled. "There aren't very many girls in Orange Star High that aren't willing to hand over their bra." I winked and she rolled her eyes.

Skittles was rifling through the clothes. "Okay, well let's split the clothes up, I will wear a bra and the pants. Videl you wear the boxers and a shirt. And Gohan you wear the other bra and shirt."

Videl grudgingly started to put on her share of the clothes. I laughed and picked up the camera. "Everybody ready?"

"Ready." They answered in unison.

/

35 minutes later we were running up and down the halls. I had successfully delivered my shirt and was wearing my regular shirt with a bra over it, Skittles was pantless with a bra over his shirt since his pants had already been delivered to Ted and Videl had her regular shirt back on with a pair of boxers.

We were down by the pool where a group of students were spending their free night swimming, doing dives and sitting in the hot tub.

"Alright, Alright!" Skittles put his hands up to silence the teens and make them stop moving. "Does this bra belong to any fine hunnies out here?" Skittles was a rather fit individual on the football team and basketball team. He laughed excitedly holding up the video camera.

Several girls squealed and ran up to him trying to claim the bra. Skittles took it off and winked at me. "Looks like I'm going to have to do some Cinderella comparisons."

Videl rolled her eyes and turned to me.

A guy approached us behind her. "Excuse me."

He had blonde hair and dark brown eyes and he played on the Orange High soccer team. He was a little taller than Videl and he looked down at her. She cleared her throat. "What can I help you with?"

He smiled charmingly down at her. "I believe those are my boxers." He commented glancing down and then back up at her. I smirked over at her. Videl blushed furiously. "If you don't mind I'll have them back?"

"Sure." She slowly rolled the boxers off and stepped out of them handing them to him. I glanced at her. She was back to those same spandex shorts.

Skittles came up to us and let out a low whistle. "Woooo that was some serious work but I think I'm gonna be okay!" He took a deep breath. "What's next?"

"I think I'm the only one left with something." I started reaching into the backpack searching for the second task.

"Not for very long!" Angie appeared in front of me. "I believe it belongs to me Gohan Sweetheart." She walked behind me, unclipped her bra and took a handful of my behind. I let out a yelp. "Catch ya later, Gohan." She winked and dove back into the pool. Skittles turned off the camera and watched her bounce away also.

I stared at her clutching the envelope. Videl grabbed it out of my hand. I snapped out of my trance. She took out the paper with a number 2 on it. This one says, "_Take a picture with a Capsule Corp. employee."_

Skittles rummaged through the backpack and pulled out the digital camera. "Okay, I'll do number two and take the camera with me and you two do number three and take the video camera. You guys have my cell number so call me when you're done and we'll meet up again."

Skittles ran away with his digital camera. And Videl pulled out number 3. "_Steal a pair of Vegeta's underwear."_

She looked up at me. "There's no way" She shook her head.

I smirked cockily. "There's always a way."

_/_

With an hour and a half left running on the clock we had to finish this task and the last two. I stood at the end of the hall looking both ways. Videl was right behind me with her hands resting on my arms and my back lightly. I closed my eyes taking in the feel of her light fingertips against my skin. I tried to focus my energy on the people in the building. Bulma was in her study. Dr. Briefs was in his lab. Bunny was in their bedroom. Vegeta was down in the gravity building and Trunks was asleep in his room.

"Perfect." I turned around at her. "No one is here."

She withdrew her head away from me. "How do you know that?"

I shrugged. "Just a feeling. Let's go!"

I tugged on her lightly. We started down the hall being careful not to cross any maids or staff wandering about the building. We kept lightly on our toes. I kept my head down and alert ready to sense any oncoming disasters. I looked at Videl's feet in her high top purple and black sneakers. She was walking on her tippy toes. "Hmph." I smiled. I stopped us in front of a tall pair of white double doors. "This is it." Videl nodded.

I tried the knob. "Is it locked?" She whispered.

I smirked. "No." I pulled hard on the knob breaking the lock. "It wasn't locked. Just jammed." I lied.

I swung open the doors and we entered their room. "Whoa!" Videl exclaimed.

Their bedroom was like a small house. It opened up straight to the king or possibly bigger than king sized bed. A large TV screen hung on the wall across from the bed. Their bathroom had a hot tub, a shower for seven and a double sink. The walls were lined with electronics, dressers and wardrobes. They had a medium sized walk in closet and a separate shoe rack. "Okay." I put my hands together. "Let's look for that spandex underwear of his."

I started opening drawers. "Gohan." Videl followed me to a dresser. "This is a total invasion of privacy."

I shut the drawer I was looking in. "Do you want to win?" She glared at me. "I thought so." I turned back to another drawer. "So keep looking."

She groaned and started opening up drawers. "Oh my kami! **Ew!**"

"What?!" I dashed over to her side.

She dropped the long row of condoms she'd found on the floor. I started laughing. "Oh yeah. That's fine. Keep laughing. I've only been **scarred.**" I put a hand over my stomach. "You might want to bust out that camera of yours, Gohan."

I reached into the backpack without hesitation pulling up the video camera. Videl plastered a big smug look on her face. I pressed record and filmed her. "Looks like I found our underwear." She pulled them out of the drawer with the tip of her index finger and cautiously brought them into the back pack dropping them in.

/

10:17pm we were heavily panting in the lounge. Videl double over with her hands on her knees breathing deeply. "Wooooooo" She sighed.

"There you guys are!" Skittles was waving over to us. He showed us his picture. "Check this out! Got the picture with the employee!" He withdrew his camera. "What'd you guys do?"

I smiled. "We found Vegeta's underwear." I laughed. "Rather, Videl did..." She cringed.

Skittles laughed. "What's left?"

Just then Erasa, Sharpner and Matthew came running into the room. They spotted us and strode over. "Hey guys." Sharpner nodded. "How'd ya do?"

Skittles smiled proudly. "We got everything done."

Matthew's eyes widened. "Even the underwear?"

Videl smirked. "Even the underwear."

I pulled out the next paper passing it to Videl. "_Win a game of pool."_

Skittles picked up a pole and looked directly into Matthew's eyes. "I got this one kid."

/

With only ten minutes left the scores were even. The rest of the class had gathered around and were all sitting in front of the giant TV screen. I plugged in each camera and we viewed videos and pictures keeping score. Angie was bouncing up and down. "It looks like you each have four points! What's number five? What's number five?" She exclaimed

I smirked. I handed Videl the envelope. She opened it slowly. I watched her eyes scan from left to right four times. She looked up at me. "It says _kiss someone on your team."_

She blinked at me. Sharpner laughed. "No problem!" He grabbed Erasa and kissed her deeply. The class let out a taunting chorus of 'ooooohhsss'.

"_...that you've never kissed before."_

The talking ceased. "What?" Sharpner looked away from Erasa. The smug smile on his face fell. He looked at Matthew. "If you think you're kissing my girlfriend, you're freaking nuts!" He shouted pulling Erasa into him.

Matt threw up his hands. "Whoa, whoa slow your roll bro. I didn't say anything about kissing your woman."

I laughed. I could feel Videl's eyes on me. It was silent. I could feel everyone staring at me like I planned this. I inwardly scoffed. _Well I did plan this... _I knew she would hate to lose. She took a proud step towards me. I smirked. I knew she couldn't resist. _I mean pff... come on... I'm part Saiyan. I'm half immortal. Who wouldn't want to kiss me?_

"Augh!" I looked to my left. Skittles came up to me grabbed my cheeks and planted a kiss right on my lips. He let go of my face and jumped up. "Wooooooooo!" Everyone burst into laughter cheering excitedly. "We won! Yeah! Team Skittles!" He squealed.

Videl started laughing and I rubbed my lips. I smiled at Skittles and gave him a fist bump. "I have to say Skittles... you're one crazy son of a bitch."

Videl moved and stood beside me. I stole a glance at her. She must have noticed because a small playful smile tugged at her lips. I looked forward at Skittles standing on the pool table dancing to the song blasting on the stereo system.

_Tonight was a __**win.**_

I strolled out of Vegeta's training room mid-afternoon stretching. I yawned. Training without sparring today was nice. My stomach rumbled and I stopped clutching it dramatically. This meant it was time for me to head over to Bulma's and mooch off some food. I started my stroll up to the building staring down at my feet.

"I'm really glad you decided to come up and talk to me." Bulma voiced. I looked up. From a distance I could see Bulma sitting outside on her porch with Videl sitting close beside her.

I quickly ducked beside some tall hedge. "I'm really glad you forgive me." She laughed nervously. I inwardly smiled. I loved how nervous she seemed. She sighed and slouched in her chair sipping some lemonade.

Bulma laughed. "It's no problem. You're important to Gohan and any friend of his is a friend of mine." She waved, picking up a glass of red wine sipping on it. "And it is really sweet of you to cut him some slack."

I slapped my head with my hand. _Bulma…_ I sighed. Videl shrugged. "Well he's kind of important to me too."

I smirked.

"Hey boy! What are you doing back there?" Vegeta came striding towards me also eager for something to eat.

"Vegeta!" I shouted in a harsh whisper. I tugged on him to come down level with me.

He fell to the ground. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He whispered harshly. He shoved me.

I shoved him back. "Hey!" Vegeta threw a punch and we started wrestling in the hedges. He elbowed me roughly and I fell through the hedges and he came falling on top of me. We scrambled to get back on our feet.

Bulma stood up and marched towards us. "What is going on here?"

Videl was right behind her. "Are you two _fighting_?"

"No." "Yes."

I looked at Vegeta shaking my head. Videl raised an eyebrow, "I'm going to go back to my room." She turned to Bulma. "Thanks again." She looked back at me. "See you later!" She walked away.

I shoved Vegeta away from me. "Hey! I'm trying to keep a deep dark secret here!"

"Keeping your saiyan blood a secret is an insult to our race!" He shoved me back. "And trying to impress a stupid human girl is even more pathetic." He pushed me again.

Bulma cleared her throat. "Excuse me?" She demanded.

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Oh please woman! Like it was _that _hard trying to impress you."

Bulma's mouth dropped. "Vegeta!" She squealed marching up and smacking him against the arm. "You big inconsiderate ass!" She turned her heel and went back in the house.

I shook my head at Vegeta. "You're in huge trouble." I chuckled.

He shrugged. "I'll just take her to look at these stupid falling stars out tonight."

I raised a mock eyebrow. "Look at that; Vegeta has a soul."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Whatever, kid. Human women aren't that hard to please. I blew up the moon once to give Bulma the shooting stars that she wanted." I looked at him. _That was oddly considerate for Vegeta._ He smirked at me. "You might wanna try that with that little girl of yours tonight." He laughed. "Looks like I'm all around the better man."

I rolled my eyes and started towards my room. I held my hand back and shot a beam at Vegeta sending him tumbling backwards. I smirked. _I'll show him the better man._

_/_

That evening there were a handful of students lying out on the front lawns of the hotel to look up at the stars. The sun had set and there was a nice chill in the air. Couples were nuzzled together and the PA system was being dragged out to play music on the system while the students watched the stars. I strategically stepped around bodies of students from both senior homeroom classes.

"Gohan!" I looked up and Skittles was waving over at me trying to get my attention to where our group of 'Dare Night' friends was sitting.

I made my way over. "Hey." There was a unison of 'heys' in return. "What's happening?" I offered.

"Not much! Just gearing up for these stars! Another hour and they should be falling!" Skittles shouted enthusiastically. I was half listening. Most of my attention was on Videl talking to Matt.

I looked back at Skittles and chuckled. "Yeah, I'm stoked. Excuse me." I patted him on the shoulder and approached Videl. She was sitting on the grass on a picnic blanket with Erasa, Matt and Sharpner. I squatted down. She looked up at me. I smiled. "Hey."

A smile started tugging at her lips. "Hey." She said softly back.

"I was wondering…" I rubbed the back of my neck and looked down. "Do you…possibly want to come watch the shooting stars tonight with me?" I tried shyly.

She smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that what I'm doing right now?"

I smiled. "I know. But we're going somewhere special." I stood to my feet and reached out a hand waiting. I knew she couldn't tell, but Kami, I was nervous. She looked away. My heart was pounding. She bit her lip mulling over her options.

She looked back up at me smiling. "Okay. You're on." She reached up a hand and I heaved her to her feet. "We'll be back in a bit." I called back trying to avert my eyes from our friends so they couldn't see me blushing furiously. I helped pull her through the crowd. "Come on."

I stood in front of the large front double doors. I reached into my pocket and fumbled for my keys. "You have your own keys here?" Videl asked disbelievingly.

I opened the door and looked back at her. "Yeah." I chuckled.

She followed me in. "Wow, you weren't kidding when you said you guys were all really close."

I took Videl to the highest point in the Brief Estate. I took her up to the mansion on the top of the hill on to the roof. I helped her out onto the long flat ledge. Waiting for us was a blanket with two dim lanterns, a cooler with cans of Arnold Palmer and Green tea. On top of the cooler was a pack of chocolate chip cookies. I smiled. "What do you think?" I asked.

"Wow!" She gasped. She moved over and sat down on the blanket looking straight up at the sky. "We're above everything!" She exclaimed.

You could see the tops of trees, the city lights in the distance and the ocean past that. The lights from the grounds was obscuring most of the stars. I furrowed my eyebrows. "Hang on a sec okay? I'm going to get…something…"

I went inside and went into the first room I found. I walked over to the nearest socket and pressed my palm to it powering up slightly. It short circuited the grounds and turned out all the lights in the area. I made my way back to the ledge. "What happened?!" Videl called from the blanket.

I sat beside her. "I don't know." I shrugged. "But there are so many stars out now."

I looked over at her. Her skin was pale in the moonlight. Her dark black hair even darker than the sky and as she tilted her head back looking straight up I could see the stars reflected in her eyes. She caught me staring. "What are you staring at?" She inquired.

I smiled falling to my back and looking up at the sky. "Nothing." I answered.

She fell back beside me looking up as well. "What's it like?" She paused. "Being so close with the Briefs. It must be cool."

I smiled. "Yeah, it is pretty cool. I met her when I was little. My dad took me over to his ah…" I hesitated. The last thing I needed her to know was that he was a martial artist. "His friend's house, they were having some family reunion thing, but I must've been four…maybe five?" I shrugged. "I don't remember. Anyway, I just remember being so shy to meet all these people. Not all of them were famous and rich, but they were important to my dad." I looked over at her. "Even though I was that young I could sense how much they meant to him and I was so nervous." I chuckled.

Videl looked back at me. "That's so cool. So they've all pretty much seen you grow up, huh?"

I nodded. "Pretty much. What about you?"

She looked away again up at the sky. "What do you mean?"

I returned my look as well. "What was your childhood like?"

She shrugged. "There's not much to say. I'm pretty sure my dad has been fighting since before I was born so martial arts have been all I've had. My mother always embraced my love for fighting as well. But she always kept my father in check you know? Making sure he wasn't making an ass of himself, or letting him get too cocky, or letting him be a big gigantic buffoon." She snorted. "But I've spent a lot of my life in the spotlight because of him. So that parts been kind of hard."

I looked back over at her. "I can't imagine what that's like." I looked down at my phone checking the time. "Where are these shooting stars at?"

Videl looked up at the sky. She furrowed her eyebrows. "Hmph. That sucks." She sighed. "I've never seen a shooting star before."

I blinked. "Never ever?"

She chuckled nervously. "Is that so strange?"

I laughed. "Well yeah, kind of!" I smiled. "I live out in the country waaaaayyyy in the middle of nowhere. There are so many stars in the sky… it's almost overwhelming. It definitely is enough to make someone feel so…" I searched the sky trying to find the answer. "Insignificant."

It was quiet. I glanced down at my phone. _They should have been here by now. _I furrowed my eyebrows. "Hey Videl," I looked over at her.

She looked back at me. "Yeah?"

I scooted closer to her. She inhaled nervously and I smirked. "Close your eyes." I murmured.

She scooted back. "What?"

I chuckled. "Just do it." I insisted. She crinkled her nose in dismay. She sighed finally obliging and closing her eyes falling back on the blanket. I looked up at the sky. I looked back down at Videl. "Keep them closed!"

"I will!" She exclaimed.

I stood to my feet. I hovered slowly ascending the roof that we were laying on. I quietly went higher and higher and higher paying close attention to Videl making sure her eyes were closed. I looked up at the sky searching for all the stars I could see. I powered up slightly hitting every star I could find with blasts of kamehameha waves. I descended quickly quietly touching the ground beside Videl. She was sitting up with her forehead pressed against her knees and her eyes tightly shut. I knelt down behind her putting my hands on her shoulders. She jumped slightly under my hands. "Look up." I whispered.

We looked up. Stars started falling down. She gasped. "Oh my Kami! Gohan look!" She looked up at me smiling excitedly.

I moved over sitting closely beside her. "It's beautiful isn't it?" I swallowed hard.

Videl looked up at me and leaned back again looking up at the sky. "Yeah. It's incredible." She leaned in slightly falling on my shoulder. I smiled watching the stars in an endless cycle of breaking and falling showering the sky with blue and red light. Nothing could be more perfect than this.


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Stop Lights**

"That's it?"

I blinked. "What do you mean that's it?!" I asked incredulously. I was laying in the grass trying to catch my breath staring up at the sky on a warm Sunday afternoon.

Piccolo was sitting cross legged with his eyes closed. "That's all that happened? You blew up a couple stars and you didn't even kiss her good night?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Since when are you so intuitive about this sort of thing?"

"Since you keep leaving me with your mother!"

/

_There are things in life that are common knowledge, things in life that you simply learn by observation without anyone telling you anything. You know that at night people sleep. You know that at a funeral you are meant to mourn. You know that adults make all the rules and kids are meant to follow. You know that the sky will always be blue and the grass will always be green. There are things you don't question. There are things that aren't meant to be questioned. Things like stop lights. _

I was flying through Satan City on my way to school. The autumn air was biting at my skin and I cursed myself for changing my mind about a third layer of clothing. I touched down as I always did right outside of town in a cluster of trees. I threw down my capsule jeep and made my way from the countryside, through the suburbs and into the city. I stopped for a quick bite to eat in town and began my walk towards the school. As I readjusted my satchel I heard tires squeal and felt a rush of wind burst passed me. A two passenger sports car screeched to a halt at a green light. I raised an eyebrow. I looked around. There weren't many cars out. Most people were already in the heart of the city. I started my walk again along the sidewalk coming closer to the car. I heard the engine start revving up. I looked up at the light. _Red._ And in a flash the tires burned against the pavement and the car flew down the street.

_What was this idiot doing?_

I began walking quickly keeping the car in sight. It halted again at another green light. I started jogging brushing passed busy people who hadn't even noticed this strange vehicle. I broke out into a run. That light wasn't going to stay green forever. The car was only three feet away.

_Almost there._

I closed my eyes. _Kami let it stay green. _

I was right beside the passenger door. I leapt over the car plopping down in the passenger seat throwing the car into neutral just as the light turned red. The engine revved but nothing moved.

"What the-?"

I was breathing heavily looking down at the floor. "Please…" I panted. "What do you think-?"

"Gohan?!" I stopped my heavy breathing. I looked over at the driver and met a pair of bright unyielding eyes. "What in Kami's name do you think you're doing?!" She demanded. She put the car back into drive and as the light turned green she continued on her way to school.

"Me?!" I exclaimed. I set my satchel on the floor and put my seatbelt on. "Did you fail driver's ed Videl?! Don't you know what red and green mean?"

She stared ahead the road. She didn't say anything. She looked both ways at a stop sign before making a right turn. Finally she spoke, "Mind your own business, Gohan."

I snorted. "Mind my own business?!" I stared at her and snorted again. I looked back at the road. "How am I supposed to mind my own business when you're nearly killing other people or worse, almost killing _yourself?!"_

I saw the school coming into view. She said nothing. I inwardly growled. It was hard to bite back my tongue. She parked the car at the corner of the block. For a minute or two we watched kids pulling up to the front parking their cars and heading inside. For a moment I forgot why we were sitting there letting my mind wander off wondering why some kids parked their cars while others recapsuled theirs. It was something I ought to ask Bulma.

"Listen." I broke out of my trance and faced Videl. She was watching the kids as she spoke. "What I do is none of your business Gohan." There was a paused. She blinked and slowly turned her head to face me. "So back off." She unbuckled herself and swung the car door open. I hastily unbuckled myself as well grabbing my satchel and exiting the car. She recapsuled it and shoved it into her backpack. She turned her heel and headed for the school building. I watched her go a little ways before following her.

I was never gonna understand this girl.

/

"And that's another two students paired off together for the rest of the school year!" Professor Bahtai started a round of applause. "Very well. That puts us at half the class!"

There were loud cheers. Erasa and Sharpner were making their way back up the steps into their homeroom seats. I leaned over to Erasa. "What were the odds of you and Sharpner getting each other's paper?!" I exclaimed.

Erasa giggled mischievously. "None." She answered plainly. "I had Matt's and Skittle's had Sharpner. We traded around until we got each other."

I peered over her shoulder. "What did he put down?" I whispered.

She handed me the paper from her desk. I squinted trying to decipher the messy handwriting.

_I want to be as strong as Hercule Satan. _I snorted.

_I'm in love with Erasa Tippet._ I couldn't help the smile that came across my face.

_I'm afraid of cats. _

I cupped a hand to my mouth. I handed Erasa back the paper. She smiled at me. '_Number 3?_' I mouthed to her. She stifled back a chuckle and mouthed back, '_I know, right_?'

"Alright class, settle down!" Professor Bahtai started waving his arms to get our attention. The noise died down and he started up again. "So we are ahead of the other senior class homeroom." There was cheering again. "However," It hushed almost instantly. "You guys really need to step up your game. Our booths made the most money at the carnival, but not by much. You must find out whose paper you have by the beginning of December. Before we go on winter break there will be a senior class trivia game. You will break up into pairs and answer questions about the other person you have. I'll give you more details in December but there are still half of you who don't have partners. So get to it."

I could feel the paper in my wallet. I could picture the tiny perfect writing in the middle of the page. I closed my eyes briefly trying to imagine what a person like that would be like. I was confident it was a girl, but that was no help. I looked down at my desk. Finding out who this person could be was part of winning a competition and everyone knows Saiyans don't lose. The pressure was on.

/

The following week went by in a blur. The day after the incident with Videl and the stop lights I found myself looking over her essay in AP English peer evaluating it with her. "I've never been any good at essays." She admitted. "Especially ones that I have to write in class. Too much pressure you know?"

I laughed. "I feel ya."

She snorted. "No you don't. Your essay was pretty much flawless. How do you do so well with such a small amount of time?"

I shrugged as I made a couple more notes on her essay. "Well," I looked up at her taking off my glasses and setting them on the desk. "My mom has homeschooled me up until now and…woooo… let me be the first and definitely not the last to tell you that my mom is crazy." I made a hand gesture around my head.

Videl giggled. "Oh, everyone's parents are crazy."

I chuckled and put my hands up. "No, no. Seriously though, my mom is nuts." She laughed again and waved her off. "Anyway, when I was little I wasn't allowed to do anything until my school work was done. Which, by the way, when you are like nine and live in this incredible mountainside area with a beautiful little lake and river and an endless supply of grassy fields and meadows to go play in is _awful."_ She was laughing again. I laughed with her and for a moment I just watched her as she threw her head back and put a hand over her mouth to cover up her laugh. "So, I learned to rush through homework, but still manage to do good work so my mom wouldn't make me do it over again." The laughing subsided and she was looking at me. I shrugged. "I think homework might have been the only thing I did in my childhood."

She nodded her head sympathetically. "I think for me it was training to be a fighter. That however, took some getting used to."

I raised an eyebrow and handed her back her essay. "Oh?"

She opened her three ring binder. "Well, I'm a girl." She placed the paper in and closed it. "I liked girl things when I was little. I liked drawing, and singing, and dancing. I loved unicorns and kittens. My favorite color was purple."

"Purple?" My heart dropped a little bit. I tried not to show how eager I was. "Hard to believe your favorite color _was_ purple."

She shrugged looking at me strangely. "It still is purple." She furrowed her brows. "I don't know why that's so strange I think every girl likes pink or purple." She leaned back a bit. "Hey Jess,"

The girl behind her turned around looking away from her partner and at Videl. "What's up Vee?"

"Just curious. What's your favorite color?" Videl smiled brightly. "I know kind of weird…"

Jess frowned and shrugged. "Purple."

"Thanks!" Videl turned back around and held her hands up. "See. Pretty common." The bell rang and we began collecting our things. I took out that sheet of paper from my wallet. Next to _My favorite color is purple_ I jotted down messily beside it: **Videl Satan.** I briefly remembered the conversation we had about flying. I wrote **Videl Satan** beside that one.

/

I stretched out my limbs eager to be back in the beautiful autumn sunlight. This was my favorite time of the year. The holidays would soon be on their way and I could be spending 24/7 training and relaxing. This is why I loved Study Hall. _Just a small stretch of time before the end of school_… I sighed happily. I leaned back in my chair staring up at the ceiling.

"Professor Bahtai?" I looked over. A couple seats over Videl was staring down at a sheet of paper crinkling her nose pensively. Videl's voice sounded misplaced in the quiet lecture hall. "You're a Religions Class professor right?"

The professor looked up from grading papers at his desk. "Yes, Videl." He took off his glasses and set them on his desk. "Is there something I can help you with?" He clasped his hands together and looked up at her desk attentively.

Several students had quit what they were doing and were completely focused into Videl and the professor's conversation. "Can I ask you what you know about the afterlife? About Kami?"

The professor smiled excited at the chance to share his knowledge. "Well, Miss Satan," I looked over at Videl. Her eyes never left the professor. I slouched in my chair getting comfortable. "The topic of Kami is debatable. There are several different beliefs in what Kami is, how many there are, if he is a tangible being, where he is and if we even go anywhere after we die." I smirked. _There's one. He is tangible. He's in the sky. And we go to heaven. My dad's been there before. _"There are those who believe that Kami is up in the sky. He has a lookout that only the strongest fighters that are deemed worthy to take the test by Kami alone can climb the tower. There are others who believe that Kami rules over heaven and some who believe there are three or four Kamis." He threw his hands up in the air animatedly as he got sucked up into his own discussion. "But I would like to hear what you guys think of Kami."

A blanket of shyness fell over the room. I leaned forward and started drawing on a sheet of lined paper. "Angie." I continued drawing. "What do you think?" The professor addressed.

Angie smacked her gum loudly. She blew one big pink bubble. It popped. "Ummm. I think there's three!" I cringed. Augh, I hated her voice. "I got better odds getting into heaven that way." The class erupted in laughter. I chuckled along with them.

"Alright, Alright." Professor Bahtai hushed the room. "Gohan."

I stopped laughing. "Yes Professor?" I asked. The noise died down again.

"Tell me sir. What do you think about the belief in Kami?" He questioned.

"Hmmm…" I crinkled my nose choosing my words carefully. "Personally, I like the idea of Kami having a lookout at the top of a tower and I like the idea of an afterlife. It's comforting to think that someone is up there watching us." I paused. "So, I believe in Kami's lookout." I glanced at Videl. She was staring at me intensely. "But I kind of thought most people did?" I looked around the room at everyone staring at me.

"Yes, that is true." Bahtai continued the discussion, but I wasn't listening to a word he was saying. I looked over at Videl. She was staring at me. I made a face at her. She smiled at me putting a hand over her mouth stifling a laugh.

I smiled. I loved her laugh.

/

I've never been the jealous type. I've never had the chance to be. I've never had a reason to be. Besides my father I was the best there was. I had the highest GPA in the school district. I had never lost a fight in my life. I mean yeah of course there were fights that my dad had to intervene in but any fight I started I intended to win.

So jealousy?

This was new. And this was gonna be ugly.

I scrunched up my nose. Someone was talking. I wasn't sure if they were talking to me or not but at the moment I didn't really care. All I cared about was Matt…

…with Videl.

They were sitting awfully close.

_Uncomfortably_ close.

And alone. Away from the group and alone.

I glanced down. It was lunch time and I couldn't even eat.

Yup.

Jealous.

Very jealous.

"Gohan are you even listening to me?" Erasa asked.

I shook my head. "Wha-?" I reluctantly looked away from Matt and Videl.

Sharpner waved a hand in front of my face. "You alright bro?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I glanced over at Videl and Matt again. "What do you think is going on over there, Sharpner?" I nodded to them.

A tray dropped down beside my unopened lunch. Skittles swung his legs over and sat under the bench. "Oh that?" He shrugged. "That's nothing. Matt has had a huge crush on Videl since we were in Junior High." He shook his head. "Nothing's going to happen though. Videl sees him like a brother. Most of us are like brothers to her." He nudged me. "You guys seem to be getting close too though. Pretty soon you can join the club."

I felt temporary relief. I looked over at them again. Videl was laughing. _Still._ I didn't like the idea of them being that close.

"No." I looked over at Skittles. He tilted his head inquisitively at me. "I don't think that's exactly a club I want to be a part of." I looked up one last time. Videl was looking at me. I flashed her a smile. She smiled back at me biting her lip.

_Yeah, I was not about to join their club. No way. _

_I was in a league of my own. _

/

Fridays.

Oh how I learned to appreciate Fridays so much more now that I was in school. I opened the school doors leading outside. I inhaled the crisp cool autumn air. I closed my eyes. It was freeing. _Kami, I wish I could just take off into the sky right now. _For one brief moment I considered it.

Who cared what anyone thought?

Who cared if I got labeled a freak?

Flying was just so-

"Gohan!" I opened my eyes and turned around. Videl was jogging down the steps heading towards me. "Hey listen, I want to talk to you."

She caught up with me and started walking beside me. "What's up, Videl?" I asked her. I readjusted my book bag.

"My dad's going out of town this weekend and I was wondering if you wanted to come over. I'm having a few friends over to hang out. It's kind of like a mini kick back I guess." She bit her lip. "If you're into that sort of thing." She added.

I smiled. "Sure I can't wait."


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Footie Pajamas**

Friday after class I was sitting in Bulma's office killing time until Videl's party. "How's school going, Gohan?"

I sat in an office chair besides her spinning in circles watching her work. "It's going okay." Man I was kind of getting dizzy. I grasped the edge of the desk as I came around to stop. I blinked a few times. "It's really cutting into my training though."

Bulma grunted. "Well school is just as important as training."

I nodded. "I know." I agreed. "But what I mostly miss is flying. Don't get me wrong," I held up my hands defensively. "The car you gave me and copter are fantastic I just wish I had something more freeing. I don't like to be confined in a space you know?" I stood up off the chair. "You know me… I like to feel the sky, to smell the grass," I closed my eyes and stretched out my arms. "… to go so fast it's dangerous…you know what I mean?" I opened my eyes.

Bulma was smirking. I put my hands to my sides. "I've got just the thing for you Gohan."

/

Friday night around 7pm I found myself standing outside of the famous Hercule Satan Mansion in the countryside. I passed by it every time I went to Bulma's. I sat in my car at the front gates. Never in my life did I think I would end up here. It's funny how fate works that way. It gets you when you least expect it and it takes you where it wants even if it means you kicking and screaming every step of the way. It was hard for me to be best friends with the daughter of a man who took away one of my biggest accomplishments. I sighed.

I leaned out the side of my jeep. "Gohan Son here to see Videl Satan." I shouted into the intercom.

"Ah, we've been expecting you. Come right in." A loud buzz rang and the gate doors slid open. I pulled into the long stretch of driveway and parked my jeep besides Sharpner's. I jumped out and locked the door. I walked past the fountain a few yards in front of the stairs leading up the house.

I took a deep breath. I was strangely nervous. I knocked on the door. My heart was thumping in my chest. I heard small footsteps coming to the door. I closed my eyes sensing the energy. I smiled easing instantly. It was Videl. The door swung open. "Hey!" Videl's face appeared in the doorway. "Come in." She took my wrist and gently tugged me inside.

I followed. "Hey. Thanks for inviting me." She shut the door behind me.

Matt, Skittles, Erasa and Sharpner were hanging out in the sitting area. Matt and Skittles leapt up throwing their hands up in the air. "Gohan!" They shouted in unison.

"Hey guys!" I shouted back. I followed her into the room. "What's up?!"

Skittles and I high fived. "Not much, Bro. Ready for a kick ass movie in the Satan household."

A team of butlers came in with bowls of popcorn, some soda, and some candy. I blinked. They left very nonchalantly. I thanked them. One of them was startled. He bowed with a small smile. "My pleasure sir."

"So what are you guys thinking?" Videl plopped down on a couch and patted the space beside her. I sat down. "Something kung fu?" She offered.

Skittles threw his fist in the air. "You know I'm always down for some Kung Fu!" He got up and put a few play punches in my direction. "This is a Kung Fu fightin' citaaay!" I dodged playfully. "And I'm a Kung Fu fightin' animaaal!" We laughed.

"Sit down before you hurt yourself!" Matt joked. "Hey Videl, why don't you take Gohan with you to go get some movies to choose from? I'm sure he's never been into the famous movie and video game…" He paused putting up air quotations when he said the word, "…closet."

I raised a curious eyebrow towards Videl. "Come on." She motioned for me to get up and follow her. We walked several feet until we hit a bookshelf beside the fireplace. I looked back. Everyone was smiling.

If I wanted to I could have taken three steps back and been standing right where I had been a second ago. "Um, Videl?" I peered over her shoulder watching her stare at the bookshelf. "I thought we were getting a movie."

She looked back at me a playfully trying to contain a mischievous smile. "We are." She answered.

She leaned forward and pulled at a small book. The bookshelf shrank back and slid to the left. "Whoa!" I exclaimed. She walked inside the now open bookshelf and into a dark room. I followed quickly behind her.

She flipped on a light switch. "So?" She asked. I blinked several times to adjust to the bright room. From floor to ceiling on the two side walls were movies. Some were DVDs of old Kung Fu movies, romantic comedies, horror films, foreign films anything you can think of. There was even a section of old training and tournament videos of Hercule Satan. _Blegh!_ One wall in itself was a giant screen and on the wall opposite the screen sat a minibar. In the center of the room were several little end tables, comfy chairs and couches.

I shook my head smiling excitedly. "I don't even know what to say. This is incredible. I can't believe it!"

She chuckled. "It's my dad's. He uses it to review his old tournaments so he can improve." She nodded towards the shelves. "Go ahead and pick one."

I started walking around the room. "This is insane!" I looked through several shelves and finally pulled one out about Jackie Chan.

Videl started towards the doorway. "Come on." I set the DVD on the minibar. "Let's go get the others."

"So?" Matt was beaming at me. "Were you impressed? Did you pee yourself? I just about peed myself the first time I saw it."

/

Three movies later everyone was sleeping on all the couches huddled up in blankets. I sighed. I couldn't sleep. It was the fighter in me that always had to be on guard in foreign places.

I got up and left the secret screening room, went through the big sitting area and into the grand room right inside the front double doors. The room held a grand stair case that branched into two stair cases and joined together at the top. I decided to venture up the staircase. I sat down on the floor letting my feet hang through the railing at the very top landing. I don't know how long I was sitting there admiring the grandness of the room before Videl sat beside me. She didn't say anything as she sat down. I didn't even notice her come up the stairs. She put her legs through the railing and began swinging her feet. I looked up. The ceiling rose up high. A large window was at the top. You could see the night sky and the stars through it. The moonlight streamed in through the dome window.

I looked back at the grand ball room tile floor.

A wave of happiness washed over me engulfed in sadness. I let a small yet sad smile play at my lips. "When I was a kid my parents and I went to the big Briefs Estate. I spent the day with my father and his best friend Krillin." I let out a small laugh. "It was the first time any of us had some time off. It was a freeing feeling. All the burdens were gone and the realities of life disappeared. For one single day we were all free." I stopped. I swallowed hard. "When my bed time came around my mom insisted that I go off to bed…" I looked over at Videl. She was staring at me. "My mom also made me wear footie pajamas…" Videl and I chuckled together. "I know! I know!" I joked. "It was awful." I shook my head.

There was a pause.

I continued. "Bulma has a staircase just like this in the main room of their mansion. The tile floor looks similar, the stairs fork up and rejoin again at the top in a small landing. After I had put on my footie pajamas, said goodnight and brushed my teeth I laid in bed for…I don't know maybe ten minutes before I decided I couldn't sleep." We laughed again. "So I made my way down the steps to try to see if I could convince my mother to let me stay up late."

I looked down at the floor. "On my way down I stopped at the landing, in my turtle footie pajamas and…" I looked away again smiling. "…There they were." I paused picturing my parents down on that grand ballroom floor. "They were slow dancing. Everyone else was in the huge kitchen, drinking, laughing…" My smile broadened. "I could barely hear them. Before I went to bed the house had felt alive with voices and music. It was so loud it had carried up into my room and drew me back downstairs to it." I paused. "But in that moment it was all just muffled noise."

I looked at Videl. I could see that she was captivated.

"Before I knew it the music became slow. The music and the dull light of the kitchen spilled into the dark ball room. It played slowly and softly yet the music overpowered everything. I couldn't hear anyone talking anymore. I knew they were but it sounded like they were far away." I looked at Videl. "In a brief instant I realized I was a part of something intimate. Personal. Deep. Profound. Real." I looked down at Videl's feet.

"There I sat on that landing swinging my feet over the edge watching my parents slow dance. My mom was small and thin and my father tall and muscular and he loomed over her. He was protecting her. When I saw my mom's face resting on my dad's chest I knew that she was listening to his heartbeat just happy that he was alive." I looked up at Videl. Her eyes shined brightly in the moonlight. "In that one perfect beautiful night I learned what love looked like." I shook my head looking down. "And I will never forget that."

I felt the sudden dread wash over me. I would never see that again. I would never see my mother relax, I would never see her feel protected and safe again. "Gohan…" Videl reached out. Her finger tips brushed against the top of my hand. It burned. I felt the pieces of me crumbling all over again. All over again I knew that I was broken.

I pulled away harshly and rose to my feet. "I should go to bed." I started for the stairs and she was close behind. I could feel her wanting to say something, but she didn't say a word as we walked back down into the screening room.

As much as I cared for her I had to put distance between us. I couldn't hurt her.

I sat down on a couch and she sat down on a different one. I finally looked at her. She was staring at me. She was looking for anything. She was begging for anything. In that one look I knew I had to do the hardest thing…

…and I looked away.

/

"Three more days!" Erasa bounced up and down excitedly beside me in our homeroom.

We were in groups working on a Government project. Erasa, Videl, Skittles and I were working on developing a government plan for our country. "Three more days till what?" I asked as I was beginning to develop our military plan. I looked up from my paper. "Hey do you think we should be able to draft people?"

"Halloween!" Erasa threw her hands up in the air excitedly.

I jumped startled by Erasa's outburst. I stared at her. "What does that mean?"

She dropped her arms. "It means…wait… what do you mean what does that mean?"

I abandoned my military task suddenly intrigued. "I mean I don't know what Halloween means."

Skittles and Videl quit discussing how to choose a president. Skittles' mouth dropped open. "Hold up playa! You don't know what Halloween is?" I shook my head. "Man what is wrong with you!" He threw his hands up. "What happened to you when you were little?" He shook his head disappointed mumbling, "Man your life is sad…" He looked back up at me. "Halloween is when you dress up as anyone in the world and go Trick-or-Treating!"

I shook my head. "Trick-or-Treating?" I looked from Skittles to Videl.

Videl laughed. "It's when you go door to door to every house in your neighborhood and get candy."

I smiled excitedly. "That sounds awesome! Let's do that!" I nodded. "Let's do Halloween!"

Skittles patted me gently on the shoulder. "You mean to tell me you've never done that before?"

I shook my head vigorously. "Never! I live in the mountains! We don't really have neighbors!"

Skittles laughed. "We're too old for that now!" My smile fell. I sighed. Skittles put his arm around Videl and rubbed her head playfully. "Now it's all about dem parties!"

Erasa and Skittles started talking animatedly about Halloween. I crinkled up my nose and slouched. _Screw parties. I wanted to do this Trick-or-Treating thing..._

"Don't worry." Videl murmured. I looked up. She was leaning in close. "We'll still go Trick-or-Treating!"

I pumped up my fist. "Yesssss!" I whispered to myself.

"Gohan?"

I stopped celebrating and looked up at Erasa. "Yeah?"

"Do you know who you're going to dress up as?" She asked curiously.

I shook my head. "I thought I was too old to dress up?"

She eyed me up and down. "Hmmm…" Suddenly her face lit up. "Oh I have just the costume for you…" She smirked suspiciously.

/

"Class settle down, settle down!" Professor Bahtai called out. I looked up from the notes I had been studying. "It's about time for our next competition against the other homeroom." The class cheered. "Okay, listen up. So this next task will be done over the rest of this month." He glanced down at a paper he was reading from. "Our project is to have a student from each homeroom paint something on a canvas. Submit your sketches to me by the end of the week and we will decide on which individual will be our artist."

The students cheered loudly. I looked over at Videl. She smiled excitedly. I watched her look back down and start sketching right away. I smiled at her.

She was always a surprise.

/

Over the next few days as I watched Videl she sketched in every class, at lunch break and even sometimes after school. In study hall one day I got remotely close to her trying to sneak a peek at what she was sketching. She covered it up quickly, furrowed her eyebrows at me, crinkled up her nose and said "Excuse me, Mr. Son." She chuckled happily.

I raised an eyebrow at her and smiled. "Keeping secrets, huh?"

She smiled back. "I'm just sketching. I have to have this done by the end of today, okay?"

I put my hands on the back of her chair looking at the desk in front of her. "Can I see some of your ideas?"

She tilted her head back to look up at me. I swallowed hard. Our faces were so close. She smirked. "No." She mumbled. "I want you to be surprised along with everyone else."

I put my head closer to her. "Since when have I been like everyone else to you Miss Satan, huh?"

She crinkled up her nose. It felt like she was getting closer. "You think you're so special, don't you?"

The bell rang and we jumped. Videl started shuffling her things together. She put them in her book bag and I bent down and picked it up for her. She was startled. I adjusted my satchel and swung her bag over my shoulder. "Come on. Let's go."

"W-wait. What are you doing?"

"Carrying your books for you." I glanced back at her. She was glaring at me. "Just let it happen."

She smiled.


	17. Chapter 16

_IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: I revised this story. It's definitely worth it to reread the last few chapters if not the entire story._

**Chapter 16: Gohan's first Halloween**

"No."

"Hurry up and come out or we're going to be late."

"No!"

"But it's Halloween!"

"It's cold. I'm not coming out in this."

"Gohaaaan…!"

A different voice. "Come on bro. I wear stuff like that all the time. Then again," pause. "My muscles are gorgeous."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not coming out in this."

I heard some rustling. "Okay hold on, I have an idea!" A few moments later there was a knock at the bathroom door.

I stood beside the door. "Yes?"

"Open up! I have something for you so you'll stop complaining!" Erasa shouted. I opened the door just enough to hold out my hand. She thrust something leather in my hand and I pulled it in quickly. "There are you happy?!" Her voice came through the closed door.

I slipped on the leather jacket looking in the mirror. I was wearing ripped up jeans, black combat boots, a white wife beater and the black leather jacket. The black leather jacket had a pocket with a pack of smokes in it. I furrowed my eyebrows. I stared at the fake sideburns and fake four o clock shadow. I crinkled my nose. My normally all over the place hair was divided in half and spiked in two opposite directions on either side of my head. I scratched my nose with my fake long claws that were attached with a strap around my palm.

I opened the door. "Who am I supposed to be again?"

Erasa squealed. "Wow! You look so bad ass!" She shouted excitedly. "You're the Wolverine."

I came out of the bathroom. "Wool…verr…iiineee…Got it!" I made a mental note to remember that in case anyone asked. I blinked at Erasa. "And you areee?"

She twirled. She was wearing a blue puffy dress and her short hair was up in a fancy tiara. "I am Cinderella." She announced grandly. "And this-" she pulled Sharpner to her. "Is my Prince Charming."

I started laughing. Sharpner looked extremely uncomfortable. "Whatever wolf boy!" He snarled.

The doorbell rang. "Oh that must be Videl!" She ran out of her bedroom and Sharpner and I followed. Erasa's house was much less overwhelming. It was a simple one story house with a lot of different rooms and a pool. We followed the sound of Erasa's glittery heels clicking against the hardwood floor.

I shoved Sharpner. "You must really love this girl."

Sharpner snorted. "Oh yeah. She better marry me one day for dressing up like this." I laughed.

I heard the door open and then a loud gasp. "Daaaanggg!"

I looked up. Videl stepped into the room and as hard as I tried to keep my cool I knew my mouth dropped. Her hair was curled and falling in her face. She had a black mask covering just her eyes. She was wearing a strapless fitted dress that held the symbol of a bat and fanned out at her hips to a small poof that stopped several inches above her knee. She had a pair of fishnet stockings that stopped just below the end of her dress.

"Is it too much?" Her voice broke me out of my trance.

"No way!" Erasa exclaimed. "Let's get going guys!"

Without even realizing it I had thrown down my jeep and we all climbed in and then before I knew it we were almost to Bulma's. I stared at the road. I was trying so hard not to look at her. "You look," I glanced over at her. "You look just like the Wolverine." She giggled nervously. "You look great!"

I smiled uneasily. "Thanks. I actually have no idea who he is." We laughed together. I swallowed nervously. "You um…" She looked over at me. "You look-" I chuckled shyly. "You look incredible." I knew I was blushing furiously.

"Thank you." She answered. In my peripheral vision I saw her smiling.

/

I was staring at her again. I knew I was staring at her, but I couldn't help it. The dim lights that Bulma had set up around the giant open yard space had made Videl seem so…intriguing.

"Wow Gohan I'm impressed!" Krillin came behind me patting me on the shoulder. "Your girlfriend is beautiful!" He exclaimed. He nudged me a few times. "Better keep her away from Roshi!"

I blushed. "She isn't my girlfriend!" I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. "But I am keeping an eye on Roshi."

18 came up beside Krillin. "Do you see them all?" She scoffed. Her voice low and monotone like it always was. "All of these Hercule Satan wannabe costumes…" She spat. "Part of me wants to crush all their stupid skulls." She shrugged. "But I guess it wouldn't really be the same would it?"

I laughed nervously. "Hercule isn't all bad." I was looking at Videl. She was strong, beautiful and so energetic. If Hercule could make something like that he couldn't be all that bad…

Krillin stared at me. "You should be madder than all of us!" He exclaimed. "He stole credit for what _you _did!"

I looked over at Videl. She was laughing at something one of Bulma's employees said. I half smiled. "Yeah I know," She glanced over at me and looked away smiling. I knew she was blushing. "But I don't mind." I finally broke away and looked at Krillin. "And if I'm not mad you shouldn't be either." I smiled.

Krillin smiled back. "Sometimes it amazes me how much you and Goku are alike."

For once it felt good to hear something about my dad. "Thanks Krillin." I looked over at Videl and saw Roshi inching his way towards her. "I better go." Krillin laughed. "I'll talk to you later!" I called lightly jogging over to her. I intercepted Roshi. "Hey Videl," She turned away from the Capsule Corp. employee. "Would you like to dance?" I held my hand out to her.

She studied me a moment as if looking at all her options. She put her hand in mine. "Sure."

/

A couple hours later I found myself chatting with Sharpner and Erasa. "Ohmigosh Gohan! This has been amazing!" Erasa exclaimed. "This has been the _best _Halloween I think I have ever had!"

I laughed. "That's great! I' glad you guys are having a good time!"

"The best!" Sharpner smiled. "We have met like the craziest people! Bulma knows just about everyone! I can't believe Yamcha is here. He has like the most insane baseball record. He's got top scores in just about everything!"

I laughed. "Yamcha and I have been friends since I was little. He's also an excellent fighter."

Erasa grinned, "_And _it looks like he's got a thing for our little Videl."

My head snapped in the direction that I felt his energy. There he was. He was leaning up against the side of the house beside the sliding door that lead into the kitchen. "No way." I insisted. Well…he wasn't that great of a fighter.

Sharpner folded his arms. "Well if you've been friends for so long you know that he dates women who are like in their early twenties."

I shook my head again. "But she's not in her twenties." Videl giggled. I cringed. I started towards the two of them. "Excuse me guys."

"He's an annoying little jerk isn't he?" I jumped. Vegeta was leaning in the shadows against a nearby tree. His arms were crossed and he was wearing the same training gear he was always wearing. "Hmph." He furrowed his eyebrows. "He got in my way too once." He smirked. "Don't worry about it kid. You're a saiyan." He looked over at me. "A saiyan always gets what he wants."

I looked back at Yamcha and Videl. I smirked. "Always." I agreed. I continued my way over to them. "Hey Yamcha!" I called.

Yamcha looked up at me. "Hey Gohan! How goes it?" He held out his hand towards me for a handshake. I grasped his hand firmly.

"Good." I answered.

I felt my grip tighten. He chuckled nervously and tried to free his hand. "That's uh…" I held on tighter. Yamcha squirmed. "That's good to hear." I let go suddenly and he staggered back.

I smirked. "How about you? How have you been?" My eyes never left Yamcha. He was rubbing his now free hand tenderly.

He smiled. "Well you know," He looked at Videl. "Just keeping my baseball record alive. It's tough being an all-star." She smiled at him. I didn't like the look he was giving back. "Oh!" He looked at me. "My apologies. Gohan I would like you to meet the _prettiest _girl here, Videl."

I took a step next to her. "We've actually met."

Yamcha seemed undeterred. "Oh, you guys go to school together?" He was looking back at her again.

She nodded. "Yeah," She looked up at me. "Gohan and I have a few classes together." She looked back at Yamcha. "I had no idea he was friends with so many interesting people!"

I was staring directly at Yamcha. I couldn't take my eyes off him. I inhaled and exhaled through my nose trying to calm my anger. I didn't know why but I wanted to put him through the ground.

"So," The sound of his voice hurt my ears. "What do you say Videl? You've just spent the last 30 minutes with _the _Yamcha, what do you say to getting dinner with me sometime?"

I put my hand on the small of her back. I felt her tense instantly. I didn't care. If he didn't back up he was about to-

"Thanks, but no thanks." I looked down at Videl. And at the sound of her voice all of my anger faded. She put her small arm underneath my leather jacket around my own waist. "It was nice talking with you though." She guided me away from him. As we walked farther away she let go of my waist and I let go of hers. "He's great but-," She was blushing. "…a little too old for me." We laughed together.

The party had dwindled down and there was just a few stragglers. Sharpner and Erasa had decided to head home in his jeep while Videl and I helped Bunny clean up.

"Moooom! You really don't have to clean this up!" Bulma insisted. "That's why I have employees."

Bunny waved a hand at Bulma. "Oh hunny they can have one night to themselves! Besides," She giggled. "Videl and Gohan here are helping me here."

"Oh, well Mrs. Briefs!" Videl was picking up some paper plates. "It's the least I could do! Thank you so much for having me."

"Oh please dear," Bunny turned away and was throwing away some red cups in a black trash bag Dr. Briefs was holding for her. "Call me Bunny."

/

Around midnight Videl and I were making our way down the cobblestone driveway. I was carrying Videl's mask and my claws in my right hand and had ripped off my facial hair and messed my hair back up to my usual disheveled hair. I glanced over at Videl walking beside me. "Do you need a ride home?"

She looked over at me and shook her head. "No it's okay. I have my own capsule box." I felt myself get disappointed. We stopped walking and she took it out throwing down her own black compact car. I opened the driver door for her. She thanked me and sat down. I handed the mask back to her.

I bent down to look at her. "You sure you're not too tired?"

She laughed. "I'm okay Gohan. I promise." She touched my arm lightly. For a moment I wished I had chosen not to wear the leather jacket. "Thank you." She smiled at me. I tilted my head quizzically. "For inviting me to come here with you."

I laughed it off. "It's no problem Videl." She looked down and her hair fell in her face. I brushed it behind her ear. "Thank _you._" She looked up at me. "For being so polite to my friends…well…my family really."

She shrugged. "It was no problem. I've never really had a family and I love being a part of yours."

There was an uncomfortable silence. I cleared my throat and stood back up. "Promise you'll come around again?"

My heart was pounding. I looked down at the ground. I was afraid I had gone too far.

"I promise." I looked up at her. She was smiling.

I smiled back. "Drive safe okay? Text me when you get home."

She began to adjust her seat. "I will."

I started to swing the door. "Good night Videl."

She stopped looking up at me. "Good night Gohan."

I shut the door.

/

It was mid-November. Videl had become the artist representative for our homeroom. The auction was approaching and I could tell she was getting nervous. I was walking her to her front door listening to her talk. "I'm just super excited!" She exclaimed. She was taking her keys out of her backpack. "I mean I love drawing, I have always loved drawing!" She put the keys in the door. "I love painting even more! And now I'm about to paint something spectacular for this auction!" She opened the door. "I can't believe it!"

I followed her inside. "I can't wait to see what you have so far!" I put my backpack beside the front door. I watched her bustle into the small sitting area. I could see a bunch of sketches sprawled out all over the marble floor.

She sat down on the couch and I came and sat beside her. "Now keep in mind these are just sketches."

She spread several pictures out in front of me. "I'm sure they're great Videl." I reached out and picked one up.

"Just look at them!" She insisted.

The first one I picked up was a sketch of the city from and overhead view. I placed it beside me and I reached for another. This one looked like a self-portrait only more of an older version of Videl. "Is this-" I hesitated. "Is this your mother?"

Before she could answer me the front door opened and slammed shut. "Sweet Pea?" I stood up quickly. His back was turned to me but I knew that terrible curly hair cut anywhere… The door shut and he turned around. "Hey-oh!" He was alarmed at my presence. "Hey there kid. Are you one of my little Sweet Pea's friends?" He walked over to us.

She stood up. "Oh right! Dad, this is Gohan, Gohan this is my father Hercule."

I felt a twinge of anger. I tried to swallow my pride. "It's nice to meet you Mr. Satan." I held out my hand and he shook it politely.

"Please son, call me Hercule." He studied me a second. "Do I-," He paused tilting his head inquisitively. "Do I know you from somewhere?" He let go of my hand. "Do you train at one of my gyms or something?"

I shook my head quickly. "No. No I'm sorry I don't believe we've met." I ran a hand through my hair.

Hercule turned away and looked at Videl. "What do you have going on here Sweet Pea?" He examined the sketches on the floor. He grunted. "Come on now Videl. You know how I feel about these drawings."

Videl looked at the floor. "I know dad, but it's for school." She said quietly.

He smiled happily. "Well if it's for school then Sweet Pea you should do a nice drawing of me. I betcha that would sell a lot at that auction of yours." He slapped me on the back. "Don't you think so, son?"

It took all of my willpower not to take his wrist and throw him over my shoulder. I chuckled. "Well we don't want to start a riot over a sketch of you now do we?" I joked.

He blinked at me. "You make a good point, kid." He answered very seriously. "Well put this silly mess away Videl. You need to get to training. Make sure you're in that training room by the time I'm finished with dinner." He started for the staircase. "It was nice meeting you Gohan."

I nodded. "Thank you sir, it was nice meeting you too." I hated lying.

It was quiet between Videl and I until Hercule had made his way up the stairs. We heard a door slam shut. Videl fell face first on the couch letting out a frustrated scream in the pillow. "He makes me so mad!" She shouted into her pillow. I laughed. She sat up. Her hair was in a ruffled mess. "All he cares about is training!" She fixed her hair. "I love training. I just-," She bit her lip hesitating. "I just want so much more."

I stared at her. "Come on." I smiled. "Let's go."

"What?" She furrowed her eyebrows at me.

I helped her up off the couch. "Come on. We're going for a drive." I walked to the door and picked up my backpack. She was still standing beside the couch. "Are you coming or what?"

/

"Wait, are you serious?" Videl crossed her arms angrily at me.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes Videl, I'm serious."

She started tapping her foot. "Why are we even here?"

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you scared or something?"

She uncrossed her arms shaking her head. "No of course not!" She scoffed.

"Then let's go inside." She followed closely behind me and into the 99 Cent store. She was looking around taking in all of her surroundings.

She stopped at a row of tall candles picking several up and smelling them. "What are we here for again?" She inquired.

She caught up with me quickly. I went to the end of an aisle. "We are here for…" I stopped. "Aha. These." I picked up several wine glasses.

"Wine glasses?" She picked up a few.

"And some plates." I insisted picking up a couple glass plates. "Grab a few, will you?"

Videl picked up as much as she could carry and we headed towards the registers. "Why are we buying all of this?" I rolled my eyes. I knew she was still agitated from the conversation she had just had with her father. "You'll see."

/

"Are we there yet?"

"Videl."

"Are we there yet?"

"Videl."

"How about-"

"We're here!" I shouted. "Kami, you are impossible."

I put the car in park and she blinked at me. "I'm sorry." She apologized. "I'm just frustrated. My dad just…" She shook her fists. "**Augh!** You know?"

I laughed and nodded. "I know. That's why we're here." I picked up the plastic bags with all of our glass containers. "Come on."

We exited the car and I recapsuled it. "Where are we?" We had stopped on the side of the road near a neighborhood with a thick cluster of orange and lemon trees. I took helped her up into the thicket of trees and we trudged through. We came to a hole in a chain linked fence. I held it open for her. "Are we trespassing?" She stopped part way through.

I leaned down to her. "Come on Miss Satan." I winked. "It's not going to kill you to break a few rules."

She smirked. "Bring it." We made our way through the hole in the fence and she gasped. "Whoa! This is intense!" It was one giant bowl. It was steep and covered in graffiti. There were empty alcohol bottle and cans, a few makeshift wooden skate ramps, plenty of cigarette butts and a few broken former pieces. "How did you find this?" We started walking down the slope that lead down into the middle of the giant bowl.

Truth was I flew over it all the time. I shrugged. "I've just passed it before." I kicked a broken piece aside. "Apparently it's a great place to smoke pot."

She laughed and kicked it further. "Apparently." She answered. When we finally came to the center of the bowl she stopped and looked at me. "So what are we doing here?"

I turned her towards a wall of the bowl. Smack in the center was a crudely spray painted picture of Hercule Satan. I put my hands on her shoulder and pushed her closer to the wall. I gently set the two bags full of glass objects beside her. "I'll show you." I pulled out one of the one dollar wine glasses and then I threw it at Hercule's face and it shattered to pieces.

She gasped. "Gohan!"

I ignored her and fished out a glass plate and thrust it into her hand. "Throw it."

"What?!" She exclaimed. "Gohan I can't-"

"Videl," I spun her around and faced her. "You're angry. You're frustrated. You feel trapped." I paused. She relaxed. "Trust me Videl. I won't tell anyone."

I smiled reassuringly and spun her back around. I took a step back. I waited. I watched her struggle. I knew she was afraid to be vulnerable. She was a fighter. I knew she was weighing her options. Weighing the risks of whether or not she should show a different side to me. And then I saw her hold the plate in her right hand and chuck it with all the force she could muster. As it hit Hercule's face it shattered and she screamed fearfully.

It was silent. She was breathing heavily. She clenched and unclenched her fists. Then she picked up a wine glass and threw it against Hercule's face. Before I knew it she had thrown several more plates and wine glasses.

I stood there and watched a few feet away. I crossed my arms. She was so broken… so scared. She had stopped throwing plates and wine glasses. She was breathing heavily. She turned to face me running a hand through her hair. We were staring at each other for a few silent moments.

She finally spoke. "Gohan." She breathed.

In a single moment we closed the gap between us and she put her arms round my waist and buried her head into my chest. I put my arms around her small shoulders and ran my fingers through the back of her hair taking a firm but gentle grip. She was holding onto me tightly. I could feel her heart beating loudly against my ribs.

She burrowed her head in my chest. I let my left hand fall to her upper back pressing my palm against her back and running my right hand gently through her hair.

"Thank you." She murmured against my chest.

I pulled her in closer and placed my chin on the top of her head. "I will always be here for you." I whispered.


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: I Know Who You Are**

A couple weeks into our Thanksgiving break I found myself at Videl's house walking her to her door after going to see a movie with our small group of friends. "You really don't have to walk me to my door." She pointed out.

We stopped at the front door. "It's okay." I smiled at her. "I like to."

She blushed looking down. "Well I…" She looked up at me. "I appreciate it."

I cleared my throat. "Well I guess I ought to let you get inside. Thanksgiving is tomorrow… are you visiting your family or anything?"

She shook her head looking away again. "Nah, my dad is gone for basically my whole break so it'll just be me and the staff."

"So you're spending it alone?"

She nodded. "Yeah, but I'm used to spending a lot of time alone." She admitted.

I bit my lip. "Would you…would you like to come spend Thanksgiving with me and my family?"

I knew I was taking a huge risk. She would have to meet the Ox King, I would have to make sure Goten didn't fly or fight in front of Videl, I would have to keep my family from talking about my father, keep Vegeta from picking fights with me, and I would definitely have to do something about Piccolo. How do you explain someone being…well…green?

"Actually," Videl's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "I would love to."

My heart dropped. _She said yes._

/

I was adjusting my black skinny tie against my black and gray checkered long sleeve button up. I was rushing down the stairs putting a black belt on around my black jeans. "Alright let's go through this one more time."

Everyone groaned. "Gohan I think you're being a bit ridiculous!" Bulma insisted.

"Do you really want anyone to find out about us?" Bulma shook her head. "Okay then. There will be _no _fighting and _no _flying." I looked pointedly at Vegeta, Trunks and Goten. "Just be careful you guys!" I exclaimed. There was a knock at the door. I jumped. "That's her guys!" I started for the door. "Just-" I stopped right in front of the door. "Just help me out!" I opened the door.

"Hey Videl," I immediately took the backpack that was slung over her shoulder. "You found it okay!" I laughed.

She came inside. "Yeah, but you weren't kidding you really do live in the middle of nowhere." I blinked at her when she came in. She was wearing a purple tank top dress with a black belt around her waist. Her dress fell just barely above her knee.

"Wow Videl." I blinked.

She thumbed the bottom of her dress. "Is it too much?"

I shook my head. "No, no. It's perfect!" I reassured her. "Oh!" I put my hand on the small of her back and brought her into the other room with the others. "You remember everyone right?"

She put her left hand to her lips. "Oh gosh, I'm terrible with names. I'm sorry."

My mother came over to her. "It's okay dear." She put an arm around Videl's shoulders. "Being a part of this family can be a little overwhelming." She waved her free hand. "But don't worry sweetie. Being Gohan's girlfriend means we instantly love you."

I blushed. "Mom she's not-"

"Well Videl you remember Bulma and Vegeta I'm sure." She ignored me. "Their son Trunks." His arms were crossed and he nodded at Videl. "This is Master Roshi, he's a martial arts trainer." My mom bent down and patted the turtle on the head. "This here is Mr. Turtle." She stood up again. "You remember Goten." Videl ruffled his hair.

"Of course I remember Goten." She winked at him. I smiled. I loved how at ease she seemed with my family.

She continued on with Videl. "This is my father the Ox King, and lastly this is Piccolo."

I felt the room get tense. Videl was staring at him. She blinked a couple times. "E-excuse me sir, but…" She faltered. "-but…you are positively green."

Saw Piccolo blush from beneath his turban. I intercepted quickly and started ushering Videl into a different room. "Ummm let me give you a tour of the house."

"Oh Gohan!" My mom called out as we walked away. "Do hurry. Thanksgiving lunch is almost ready!"

We were at the foot of the stairs. "Okay moooom!" I called down. Videl was following me up the steps. "Okay you ready for the tour?" I asked. She nodded. I opened the first door of the hallway. "This is the bathroom," We continued farther down. "This first room is my brother Goten's." I opened the door. There was a mess of clothes and toys all over the floor. We went further down the hall. "These two rooms are guest rooms." There was a set of double doors at the end and I opened one of them. "This is my mom's room."

We turned down the hall. There was another small set of stairs leading up to a third floor. "And this-" I smiled at her. "This is my floor!" It was a small arrow hallway that had a room on each end and a bathroom right beside the stairs. I went to the door to the left. "This room is mine."

I opened the door and Videl went in first. "Ahhh so this is what a nerdy boy's room looks like, huh?" She laughed. I was grateful that I had taken time to clean my room. She sat on my bed. "Let's see…" She bounced up and down. "A nice queen sized bed, a desk by the window, a tall dresser…" She got up and studied the tall mirror I had beside the dresser. She looked over to the door beside my dresser. "What's this lead to?"

I shrugged. "You can open it."

She curiously opened the door that lead to my small rather empty walk in closet. "Wow. You really aren't a vain guy are you?" She walked in.

I rubbed my neck sheepishly. "I guess not."

She thumbed through a few of my shirts. "Hey how come I never see you where these?" She came out of my closet shutting the door behind her.

"What are you talking about?" I sat down on my bed putting my feet on the side of the bed frame.

She sat down beside me putting her feet up. "Well, I never see you wear any short sleeves or tank tops."

I smirked playfully at her. "Eager to see what Gohan's got going on under the long sleeve huh?"

"Gohan Son!" She squealed nudging me. "Who do you think you are?" She giggled.

I raised an eyebrow grinning at her leaning in. "Who do you think I am?" I asked lowly.

She rolled her eyes smiling and looked away. "Thank you Gohan. For letting me come for Thanksgiving."

I smiled. "Of course, Videl. You mean a lot to me." I regretted what I said. "Um." I tried to change the subject. "I really appreciate how well you get along with my family Videl. You're a natural with them and I know they can be…" I paused trying to find the right words. "A bit overbearing?"

She chuckled. "They just care about you a lot." She pointed out. "I think it's really sweet." It was silent between us. "It's nice being around a big family. I've never really had that."

I looked at her. "Never?"

She shook her head. "It was mostly me and my mom." She looked at me. "My dad hasn't always been _the _Hercule Satan. He used to be training all the time and taking odd jobs under professional fighters trying to get his foot in the door."

I blinked. I had never really thought of Hercule Satan as more than a rich obnoxious jerk. Videl seemed in a different place. "How old were you?" Videl focused on me again. I cleared my throat nervously. "How old were you when your mother passed away?" She seemed torn. "You don't have to answer." I added.

She swallowed. "No it's okay." She smiled sadly. "I was 11." She looked down. "Remember the day you yelled at me for running all those red lights?" I nodded. "When I was 11 and everyone was running from those crazy androids and Cell my mother was driving. She was trying to get home. A truck ran a red light trying to get away as well and it hit her." She looked up at me. "But that didn't kill her. It took a few precious minutes away from her getting to safety." She fumbled with her hands. "And it just took those few extra minutes for Cell to come and destroy her." I boldly reached out and took one of her hands. She seemed undeterred by it. She swallowed. "I think she would have made it…if that man didn't run those red lights."

I looked at her. "But why do you?"

She bit her lip. "I run red lights all the time and no one has ever hit me." She shook her head looking down. "But why? Why did someone have to hit her?" She swallowed hard. "Sometimes I wish I could just fly away from it all."

I tilted her head up with my chin. "I know you're angry. Believe me, I understand," I moved a stray strand of hair out of her face. "But you can't keep doing that. Please," She rubbed her lips together. "I'm not quite sure what I would do without you." I laughed quietly. "You're too important to me. I know you miss her, but I'm here for you." I interlocked my fingers with hers. "And I'm not going anywhere." I put my forehead against hers and we smiled.

"**Gohan!**" I could hear Goten thundering up the stairs. Videl pulled away from me. I could feel my heart beating hard. For a moment I had lost myself. She had captivated me. For the few moments I got to see the real Videl I let my guard down.

/

We had set up several long picnic tables together out in the yard. Videl sat in the center of the tables between me and my grandfather. On my other side was Piccolo and across from us sat my mother, Bulma and Master Roshi. "Wow Mrs. Son this looks delicious."

She waved a hand. "Oh please sweetheart call me Chichi. I'm practically your mother-in-law."

I was blushing so hard I felt my ears turning red. "Moooom…." I smacked my forehead.

"Oh be quiet Gohan and dig in!"

I rubbed my lips together. I had been waiting for this all day. I loved my mom's cooking. "You don't have to tell me twice." And in a matter of seconds my face was in my plate full of food.

I could hear Videl gasp. "Oh my, they really can eat."

I ignored it. My mom made the best potatoes. My mom laughed. "You'll get used to it!"

I started to dig into the deep fried turkey. "I thought he was crazy at lunch." Videl laughed. "Your husband can really eat too, huh?" Hmm…she must've been talking to Bulma.

"Well you know…" She sighed. "That's just how they all are…"

I started choking. "Oh!" Videl started patting my back. "Gohan are you okay?!" She shouted. I swallowed hard and my eyes started watering "Kami Gohan! Swallow your food!"

I rubbed my eyes. I laughed nervously. "I know I know! My mom's food is just delicious!"

_Close call._

After dinner Vegeta and Piccolo wandered off to go train together with Trunks and Goten excitedly trailing behind them. Master Roshi, my grandpa, my mother and Bulma all lingered at the table. The dirty dishes were piled up at the end of the table. The sun had set and there was a small wind biting at our skin. I managed to pile up all the dishes into my hands.

"Gohan that's kind of a lot do you need some help?" Videl started to stand up.

"No no!" I insisted. "Sit down. Enjoy yourself, please."

She got up and took a few dishes out of my hand. "Come on." She nodded towards the kitchen with her head.

I went ahead of her and she followed behind me. "Just set them on the counter." I put placed my pile beside the sink and she set down her dishes beside me. I turned on the water filling the sink up with hot soapy water.

I started to roll up my sleeves. "Here let me help you."

Videl unbuttoned my cuff and rolled my sleeve first sleeve to my elbow. "Thanks…" I mumbled.

"Mmhm." She answered quietly concentrating on rolling up the second one. "You know…" She furrowed her eyebrows. "I think this is the first time I have ever seen your forearms." She looked up at me smiling.

I smiled back. "I'm a private person."

She giggled. "Private about your forearms." She finished rolling up my sleeves and stepped away.

"I'm private about everything." I answered honestly. I turned the water off and started loading the dirty dishes into the sink. I started washing the first few plates.

Videl stood beside me at the empty side of the sink and began rinsing the clean dishes. "Thank you again Gohan. It was nice not spending a holiday alone."

She picked up a towel and started drying off the dishes and placing them in a pile. I smiled washing an empty glass. "It's no problem Videl. My family really loves having you." I put a few glasses in Videl's sink. It was quiet for a few minutes. "Thank you for helping with the dishes." I looked down at her standing beside me.

She looked up at me. "It's the least I could do." I dropped a small stack of plates in the sink. "Ack!" I looked over at Videl. There was a cluster of sink bubbles on her forehead. I started laughing. She crinkled her nose wiping off her face. "You think this is funny?" She glared at me playfully. I laughed harder.

She reached for the hose and pulled out the spout spraying me. "Ahhhh!" I put my hands up trying to defend my face. "Videl!" I whined.

I cupped some sink bubbles in my hand and Videl quit spraying me. I lunged at her wiping bubbles on her face and in her hair. "Gohan!" She shouted.

She started spraying me again. "Okay…pffpppffppf…Okay…pffppfff…**you win!**" I shouted.

The water stopped and she put it back in its place. We were gasping for air. We were staring at each other. She started giggling. I started smiling. She broke out into laughter and I started laughing with her. "Oh my Kami…" She said between laughs. "I'm so so…" she laughed again. "I'm so sorry." She started wiping her face and arms with a towel. "You're soaked!"

We couldn't stop laughing. She handed me the towel. "There are bubbles all over your hair." I started pulling them out of different strands of her hair.

The laughter started dying. I sighed. "Well the dishes are done." I smiled at her. "Thanks for the help."

She smiled back at me. "It was fun." She admitted. "Listen, I have a change of clothes in my backpack. I'm gonna go change."

I held out a corner of my wet shirt. "Yeah…" I chuckled. "Me too."

I headed up the two flights of stairs and into my room. I pulled off my button up and pulled over a hoodie.

I was on my way back outside when I heard Bulma laugh loudly. "Yeah Scratch has been my dad's best friend for the past couple years. He looks like a kitten but he's gotta be at least two by now!" I sat back down beside Videl.

Videl laughed. "I just think it's so cute that the little guy is always on Dr. Briefs' shoulder. I've always wanted a little kitten." I slipped in sitting beside her.

My mom laughed. "Oh Gohan was the same way! He practically begged me for one." She teased.

I looked pointedly at Videl. "And she never got me one." I pouted.

Videl playfully hit me. "You're sucha baby."

My mom snorted. "You didn't need me. You befriended that saber tooth tiger when you were like seven." As the words were leaving her mouth I could see my mom stiffen.

Videl blinked at me. "Saber tooth tiger?!" She exclaimed.

My mom interjected, "Gohan has always been really good with animals."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "When you live out in the mountains like this you kind of have to get along with nature in order to be able to play outside."

Even though it was cold I felt warm sitting beside Videl. She put her head on my shoulder and I reached my hand to hers tracing circles on the top of her hand underneath the picnic table. Master Roshi was telling a story of his days fighting. Videl laughed engaged in conversation. I interlocked my fingers with hers. She was asking him questions and he seemed completely fascinated with her.

I wasn't listening. I was looking at Videl sitting next to me. I loved her laugh. I loved that the people who were most important to me adored her. She was interesting, intelligent and polite, yet she was stubborn, strong and courageous. And underneath all of that she was vulnerable, sweet and caring.

And she was beautiful.

And…and I was falling for her.

Videl leaned into me. "I should get going." She whispered. My heart dropped. I nodded. "I'm going to go get myself." She slipped out from under the table and away from me hugging herself against the now biting breeze and heading inside.

On an impulse I got up and headed for the house. She had already disappeared inside the house. My throat was dry. I didn't know what I was going to say to her, but I felt compelled to say something.

I was standing outside staring at the door trying to figure out what I was going to do when Videl opened the door. The yellow light from the house spilled out onto the grass. "Oh! Gohan!" She exclaimed. Videl was wearing the black zip up hoodie I had given her during that terrible movie. It felt like so long ago. And for some reason…it fit her so much better than me.

"I'm sorry." Her voice caught my full attention. "I know I haven't given it back but-," She shut the door behind her and we were bathed in moonlight again.

"No." I shook my head smiling. "It's okay…"

It was only a moment. One single moment that felt like an eternity. I knew that with Videl my windows of opportunity were short. Spontaneous. Rare. She was smiling timidly. In this moment she was vulnerable. She was enticing me to make a move. I took a bold step forward. I zipped up the jacket all the way and started rubbing her shoulders just like I had done once before. "I like that you still have my jacket." I admitted.

I felt butterflies creep up through my stomach and into my chest. She let out a quiet laugh and stepped into my chest. I put my arms around her tightly. For the second time I got to hold her in my arms. Her small hands and arms were pressed up against my torso. I had never realized how small she was. Her head was gently resting against my chest.

I could have stayed there forever.

She felt so small against me. I was afraid I was going to break her having her so close to me. She was so strong and stubborn that I had forgotten how small and fragile she really was. And in those few minutes I wanted so badly to protect her. She pressed her face harder into my chest.

She was broken. She was scared. She felt trapped. I knew she had been hurt…and in one moment…a few quiet minutes she let me know that she felt safe in my arms.

I knew she was falling for me too.

As if she heard me she pulled away. I instantly missed the warmth. Her hands were still on my chest. "Gohan I-" She murmured. I looked at her. She seemed afraid… And then it clicked.

"Videl." I took her hands off my torso and held her wrists in my hand. "I know who you are."

She blinked at me. She seemed disappointed. "Gohan, what are you saying?"

I let go of her wrists. I swallowed hard. "_Your favorite color is purple._"

She smiled. "Of course it is!"

"_You wish you could fly._"

She suddenly seemed rather nervous. "Gohan please-" She took a step back.

"_You're afraid to fall in love._"

She gasped and put her hands over her mouth. "No, Gohan. No. How did you-" She shook her head. "-you had my…"

I stared at her. The enemy…the person I was searching for had been her. I had been so frustrated with whoever had written that stupid piece of paper. I wanted to know them better than I knew myself.

And I did.

"You're always wearing purple if you're not wearing your usual baggy white shirt, spandex and trainers." She blinked. "I've seen the way you look up at the sky. I've seen the way you wish you could get lost in the clouds." She bit her lip. "And…and you're afraid of me."

She took a step towards me. "Gohan-," We were silent. She was afraid of me and…I loved that she was afraid. I loved that one of the toughest people in Satan City was afraid of me. It felt good. Empowering.

And the feeling sickened me. "I have to go." Her voice broke me out of my thoughts. She adjusted her backpack over her shoulder and brushed past me.

"Videl wait." I grabbed her wrist.

She wrenched it free. "No!" She shook her head looking away from me. "Don't…I…" She looked back at me. "Thank your family for me." She threw down her copter capsule.

I followed her to her copter door. "Videl please-" She turned to face me. I froze. I didn't know what to say. I didn't think she would actually stop. I swallowed hard. I bit my lip. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I hesitated. I took a step towards her. I was grateful she didn't move away. I took another step and stopped. "I'm not going to hurt you."

She bit her lip trying to fight something back. "Gohan…" She breathed.

I slowly closed the gap between us. I tucked her hair behind her ear. She was looking up at me expectantly. I cupped her jaw. I ran my thumb across her cheek a few times. I tilted her head slightly upwards so I could see her fully.

I wanted to kiss her. Kami, I almost needed to kiss her.

But I knew the most important thing I needed to do was protect her…

My hand dropped to my side. "Thank you for coming, Videl."

She ran a hand through her hair. She was staring at me. I wished she would look somewhere different. "You're welcome." She answered simply. She climbed into her copter and I watched her fly away.

I just stood there. Staring.

I let myself power up. I took energy from the trees and the creatures around me. I closed my eyes pushing myself harder. Wind started picking up around me. I felt my body start to tear apart trying to power up. I closed my eyes even tighter. I let the anger creep up from my toes and spread through my stomach into my chest and consume my head. I let the pain wash over me like an outer shell.

I let the hatred come in and devour me.

I needed to feel numb again.


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: Just the Beginning**

As December neared the quest for the rest of the students to find their mystery partners ended. Erasa and Sharpner and Matt and Skittles were chosen to compete in the event together. This meant that all of the papers left with no matches were tossed aside. I was twirling the folded up piece of paper with Videl's three facts underneath my desk.

"Gohan," Sharpner was looking at me. "I don't mean to be nosy bro, but why didn't Videl sit next to you today?"

I shrugged. "I don't really know." I lied slipping that paper into my pocket.

But hey, I was good at lying.

I looked back at my Anatomy notes that were in front of me. "Gohan,"

I furrowed my eyebrows agitatedly. "Hm?"

Sharpner bent back down. "I've been meaning to ask you, how did you get out of PE? Did you drop it or something?"

I sighed. He wasn't going to leave me alone was he? I looked up at him. "I'm working on a special project for Dr. Briefs." Another lie…well sort of. Dr. Briefs had come down to the school and asked that I be given that time slot to help them work on important new projects happening at Capsule Corp. Of course the school didn't argue with Dr. Briefs.

It wasn't a total lie. I was spending my PE days training with Vegeta. I would say that was a special project.

Sharpner's voice brought me out of my thoughts. "Well, it's a shame you're too busy to be in our PE class. It would be awesome if you were part of the soccer game we're having as a homeroom in January." I shrugged uninterestedly. "I bet you could still play anyway!" I looked away. Sharpner seemed a little disappointed but it didn't matter to me. "Well…think about it at least." He insisted.

I rolled my eyes. "Alright, I will." I chuckled lightly. "Now shut up and help me study these Anatomy notes."

Sharpner leaned over to see what I was studying. "You know, the only thing that's going to help you learn anatomy the right way is a _girl._" He elbowed me playfully. "I'm more of a hands on learner, if you know what I mean?" He winked.

I rolled my eyes for the second time. "Kami, you're a perv."

He laughed. "No I'm serious." He insisted. "Was the last date you went on with Angie?"

I couldn't help it. I looked passed him at Videl. She felt me looking. We made eye contact and then she looked back down at her book. I looked down. "I don't really have time for girls."

Sharpner laughed. "There's always time!"

I looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. "What are your grades like?" I challenged.

"They're fine!" Sharpner threw up his hands.

I narrowed my eyes. "And you're training?"

He stopped. "Good point." He admitted.

I looked back down at my notes. "Besides, I live super far away."

Sharpner put his arms behind his head and leaned back in his chair. "Another valid argument." He admitted. "I guess you're right. If a girl was going to come out and see you all the way in Mt. Paoz she would really have to care about you." I stopped reading my notes. "If you were going to see her she would really have to be something special."

I looked over at Videl again. She was looking down at a set of notes herself.

I crinkled my nose and looked back down again. "Yeah. Really special…"

/

Isolation.

I was beginning to realize that being a fighter meant being alone. I had my head in my locker. It was the beginning of December. It had been a week since Thanksgiving and I hadn't spoken a word to Videl.

And she hadn't spoken a word to me. I pulled my anatomy book out of my locker and shut it. I looked down avoiding any eye contact on my way out of school. As much as I tried not to I couldn't stop thinking about her. She was effecting my school work, my concentration…my training.

I furrowed my eyebrows. I thought by cutting her out of my life I could make her go away. I closed my eyes tightly. But no matter how hard I tried she was always in my-

"**Ahh!**"

My anatomy book fell out of my hand. I heard several other books hit the floor. I looked down. There she was. She was disheveled and her eyes seemed chaotic, but there she was. I furrowed my eyebrows. She seemed distant…far away. She looked less stubborn…less courageous…

She looked defeated.

"I'm sorry." She broke away from my gaze and started picking up her books. I bent down and picked up a couple. I didn't say anything. I handed them to her. "I'll see you later." She stood up.

"Videl-" I was looking up at her still picking up my own anatomy book.

She ignored me. She turned around and started walking away. I rose to my feet. "Videl…" I whispered.

Someone came up behind me and put their hands on my shoulders squeezing several times. "Gohan, my man."

Skittles.

"I'm gonna see that mug of yours at the quiz off tonight, right?"

I turned around. "Sorry bro, maybe I'll be at the next one. I've got some family stuff to take care of."

I could feel myself getting angry. I had to leave.

/

The following week I was sitting in homeroom again. I felt like I hadn't slept in weeks. Every night it was the same thing. I slammed my forehead down on the desk in front of me.

There he was. His disgusting final _perfect _form. He had these piercing purple eyes. They were soulless. Almost lifeless…

…and they were deadly.

He looked like he was coming after me, but I was frozen. I couldn't move. All I could do was watch as he shoved me aside and went after _her._

She was standing there. Scared. She was screaming for me. _Gohan._ She was calling for help. She needed me. _Gohan._ I had to save her. _Gohan._ But why couldn't I move. He reached out and touched her.

"Gohan!"

My eyes snapped open and I lifted my head off the desk. I shook my head trying to wake myself up. Sharpner put his hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay, man? You haven't really been yourself lately."

I rubbed my eye and ran a tired hand through my hair. "Yeah, I just haven't been sleeping."

Sharpner let go of my shoulder. "Listen, no homo, but if you've got something on your mind we can talk." I nodded. It was uncomfortable for a second. "Um, anyway. Like I was telling you we got crushed the other day at that quiz tournament."

"No way!" I was genuinely interested. "I thought you and Erasa knew each other better than you knew yourselves."

He shook his head. "Apparently there are a few things we haven't talked about." He glanced over at her. "And she's kind of mad that I didn't know some of those answers…" He frowned.

I tilted my head quizzically. "Could she answer everything about you?"

He looked down thoughtfully. "Actually no."

"Then shouldn't you be mad at her too?"

He shrugged. "I mean I guess technically I have a right to be frustrated, but I love her. I'm going to piss her off sometimes and we just need to get through it…"

"Alright class!" I looked up. Professor Bahtai glanced down at his watch and then back up at us. "Okay, class you know that the art exhibit and auction is coming up in February. The class that raises the most money at the auction wins." The class cheered. "Now remember that the money we win goes to our charity." He held his hand up gesturing to Videl. "Videl here, is the artist for our homeroom." Everyone cheered.

I looked over at her. I couldn't help but smile. She looked over at me and then she smiled back at me. For a moment it felt like everything was right again. Then she turned away quickly.

My heart stopped.

/

My heart was pounding. I was drenched in sweat. I was breathing heavily. I narrowed my eyes. I started to power up again. I could feel the bruises start to rise. My bones started to ache. My muscles were burning. I had cuts deep into my skin. Vegeta was coming at me with everything. I pushed myself to power up even farther.

I heard Piccolo's voice. "Gohan enough!"

I was screaming.

"Kami!" Krillin exclaimed. "He's going to kill himself."

Vegeta started laughing. "Go ahead kid. Keep powering up" He laughed again. "I'll watch it consume you."

The bruises were getting bigger. It felt as though they were going to rip open. The cuts were getting deeper and blood was running down my face, down my arms and down my torso. I stopped and set my aim for Vegeta. I was throwing punches. Vegeta dodged the first few, but I was too fast.

I started hitting his face…his chest… I was twisting his arm… He was screaming.

He was screaming at the top of his lungs.

He was in pain. And I was enjoying it.

I felt Piccolo behind me trying to pull me off of him. He recoiled instantly and I knew that I was too powerful for even him to touch me. I felt him again. He was fighting through the pain.

**Pain.**

Suddenly I realized just how far I was pushing myself. I completely powered down and fell to the earth. I laid there screaming. Piccolo was over me in seconds… he was trying to calm me down. "Breathe Gohan! Breathe!" I was staring up at him, but I felt like I couldn't really see him. He looked up at someone else. "Krillin, take Vegeta into the house and have Dr. Briefs fix him up." My breathing started slowing down. The pain was slowly releasing me. I tried to sit up and Piccolo pushed me back down. My breathing was back to normal, but my body burned. I tried to sit up again and Piccolo pushed me back down. "Stay down Gohan."

I pushed back and forced my way up. Krillin was running back outside. "Whoa…uh… Gohan shouldn't you be taking it easy or going inside?"

I got to my feet. "I'm leaving."

"What?!" Krillin exclaimed.

Piccolo stood in front of me. "You need to heal so we can keep training."

"**No**!" I shouted. Piccolo took a step back. I knew he was alarmed because even though I was drained my eyes flashed teal. "I'm done. I'm finished. I'm not fighting anymore!"

I turned away from Piccolo and started to stagger for the house. Krillin started walking beside me. "Come on Gohan. You were stronger than you had ever been. I can't believe you made it that far. You might even be stronger than Vegeta!" He laughed. "I'm sure next time you'll be able to-"

"No." I stopped and faced Krillin fully. "Don't you get it? I don't like fighting so I'm not going to do it anymore. I'm tired of being angry!" I felt myself growing weaker but I was determined to make it to the house. "I'm tired of being isolated." I kept walking and Krillin stood there for a moment. "I'm tired of hurting people!"

He followed back into step with me. "Gohan you have to fight. You're supposed to protect earth. We know Vegeta isn't going to do it and Goku isn't here to-"

I stopped again. "Then you do it! You be protector of earth." Krillin stood there motionless. "No?" I looked over at Piccolo. "How about you?" I laughed mockingly. "Well guys, I hate to break it to you but **I'm not my dad**."

Piccoo was standing there analyzing me with his arms crossed. "Hmph." It was silent. "You're acting like a child. You know as well as us that this task was given to _you._ Without Goku here you're the strongest. Whether you like it or not you will always fight. You can't run away from it. You need to train-"

I turned away and started heading for the house ignoring him. Then I stopped. I looked over my shoulder. "You're right." I answered honestly. I knew I was being stupid for trying to act like this wasn't my job. "I need to train." I looked forward again. "But I don't need to fight unless I have to."

/

After that fight with Vegeta I was out for several days. It was the last week of school before Christmas break and I was determined to have a normal life. I was determined to make things right.

I had been practicing this for two days. I had been rehearsing every possible scenario in my head. I had analyzed all of my enemy's weak points. I had practiced my body language, maintaining control of what I let my eyes reveal. And I was ready.

The bell rang signaling the end of the school day. I slowly and calculating made my way to my locker. I put my books away and put a few in my satchel. I then used an empty capsule to put it into and slipped the capsule box back into my pocket. I inhaled deeply and exhaled calming my nerves. It was now or never. I shut my locker door and made my way to my destination.

I stopped. I swallowed hard. "Videl." My voice cracked.

She moved her locker door and seemed alarmed and dare I say fearful to see me standing there. She shut it. "Gohan." She acknowledged. Then…it was silent. I was trying to read her eyes. She seemed cold and distant. I knew that feeling all too well. I must have been staring too long because she then tried to brush me off. "I have to get going. I'll see you later." She started walking away.

I grabbed her wrist gently. "Wait." My heart was pounding.

She spun around slipping out of my grip. "For?" She challenged. I didn't say anything. I was staring again trying to read her emotions. She was angry, but she was trying not to show it. "That's what I thought." She turned and walked away and started pushing through students.

I followed behind. "Videl. Just give me a second to explain-"

"**Explain**?" She declared. I noticed several students stop.

I was a couple feet away from her. It was now or never. "Yes explain-"

She crossed her arms. "Explain what?" She piqued the interest of several other students. "Explain how we were friends?" I furrowed my eyebrows. _Were?_ "Explain how once two of our best friends started dating we spent all of our time together?" I noticed Erasa and Sharpner standing a couple feet away staring at us. "Explain how you were basically my best friend?" She laughed mockingly. I looked around. When did this crowd get here?

She threw her hands up in the air and strode right up to me. "You were so…**pushy**." She poked me in the chest. "You _insisted _that I let you in!" She was shouting now. "You _forced _your way into my life! You practically _begged _me to open up to you and when I did…" She shook her head. Her voice got low. "…you pushed me away." It was completely silent. It felt like everyone was holding their breath. "I'm a tough girl Gohan Son." I looked down. She was clenching her fists. "I was _just _fine before I met you." She took one more step closer. "And I'm going to be just fine without you."

She reached up to poke me in the chest again, but I grabbed her wrist. She gasped quietly. I caught her off guard. "Videl I was trying not to hurt you!" I urged. She looked away from me, but I refused to look away from her.

She turned and faced me fully. She had a look of bewilderment across her face. "Trying not to hurt me?" She questioned. "Seriously?" She slowly shook her head. "Explain to me how shutting someone out isn't hurting them?"

I looked down. She turned away from me and started to pull her wrist away. Instinctively I grabbed her other wrist and pulled her to face me. "Videl, listen to me." I shook my head. "I didn't want to hurt you. I thought by distancing myself from you, then I wouldn't." She opened her mouth to protest but I kept talking. "The truth is I've always kept my distance from people. And I tried to do the same to you but-" I smiled and half laughed to myself. "Kami, as much as I tried I couldn't get you out of my head." I slid my hands to her elbows and pulled her a little closer to me. "You're stubborn. You're tough." I moved my hands to her shoulders. "You make everything difficult and oh my Kami Videl…" I moved my hands up her neck and cupping her cheeks. "I haven't stopped thinking about you since the moment I saw you."

I kissed her. She was shocked but in an instant she was kissing me back. I moved my hands to her hair. I'm pretty sure I heard cheering, but I didn't care. In that moment I was kissing Videl Satan.

/

_989…990…991…992…_

Up. Down. Up. Down. My life was perfect. I was getting stronger every day. I wasn't always angry. I was at the top of my class…and I was dating the most incredible girl on the planet.

_993…994…995…996…_

I didn't think my life could get any better than this.

_997…998…999…1000_

I sat up panting heavily. Wooo…1000 pushups under heavy gravity really took it out of you. I stood to my feet and walked over to the control panel shutting off the gravity. I bumped into Vegeta on my way out.

He grunted. "Watch where you're going brat!" He exclaimed.

I closed my eyes and exhaled keeping my cool. "My mistake." I answered coldly opening my eyes and looking at him.

Vegeta closed his eyes and crossed his arms smirking. "Hmph." He snorted. "You really think you can keep avoiding it don't you?" I furrowed my eyebrows. I didn't say anything. "You're a saiyan. You need to fight. It's in your blood. You can play this little charade as long as you like, but it'll devour you." He opened his eyes. "And when it does you will have no choice but to let it."

He shouldered me and pushed through the gravity room and slammed the door behind him. I swallowed hard and started for the house. It was a cold winter December day. I opened the door and came inside. Bulma, Krillin, and Master Roshi were all sitting inside beside the fireplace starting up a movie. I grabbed a water out of the fridge and went into the room.

"Hey Gohan," Bulma said cheerfully. "All done for the day?"

I sighed contently. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm finished." I sat down on the floor and leaned against the couch. "I should get going soon." I admitted.

I sat there tiredly for a few more minutes watching new movie trailers flash across the screen. Then, it came on. My eyes grew wide. It was coming spring of next year. The story of Hercule Satan and his defeat against Cell.

I heard Krillin cry out angrily. "Who the hell does this guy think he is?!" He shouted.

I stayed quiet.

Bulma nodded in agreement. "That guy just gets under my skin! Every time I see his stupid face or hear his stupid name I always change the channel." She huffed. "I don't even read articles or magazines that have the word Satan in them."

Master Roshi was studying the movie trailer. "I hear he has a daughter."

Krillin's eyes grew wide. "He has a _daughter_?" He slapped his hand on his forehead. "Kami! Some people shouldn't reproduce." I got tense and uncomfortable.

Bulma crossed her arms. "It doesn't matter that he reproduced. His whole family could-could rot for all I care! I hope I never have to see his dumb face again! Or his stupid kid's face!"

I rose to my feet breathing heavily trying to keep myself under control. "I better get going." I swallowed down my resentment and rose to my feet.

Bulma gave me a sad smile. "Sorry Gohan. I'm sure Hercule Satan and his family make you madder than any of us!" She put a sympathetic hand on my shoulder. "You're a hero Gohan. An unrecognized hero…" She shook her head.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "I like it that way Bulma. Anyway, I ought to get going! I'll see you guys later."

Bulma pulled me into a hug. "It was nice seeing you Gohan! I'll see you for Christmas."

I froze. I bit my lip. "I'm not going to be here for Christmas."

Everyone turned to me. Truth was I wanted to spend it with Videl, and I couldn't do that here. She didn't know who I really was, and even if she did my family probably wouldn't be too thrilled about whose daughter she was.

Bulma let her hand fall to her side. "Why Gohan?"

I shrugged. "I'm going to be-" I hesitated. I didn't exactly know what to say. I had been dating Videl for almost two weeks and hadn't said a word to my _overly _involved family and friends. I wasn't quite sure if I should say anything at all… I realized they were all still staring at me. "I'm going to be spending Christmas with a friend of mine." I crinkled my nose. "My friend who was over for Thanksgiving, um…Videl."

Master Roshi grinned broadly. "Oh! That pretty little girl who's interested in martial arts!" He snickered excitedly. "Good for you, huh?" He nudged Krillin who was sitting beside him on the couch. "You hear that, Gohan is spending a lot of time with that girl…" He teased and they both laughed.

I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. "Come on guys…" I chided. "I really should get going. I'll see you all later."

Master Roshi stood to his feet and hobbled beside me to the door. "Listen Gohan, don't be a stranger now, okay?" I stopped at the door and faced him. He leaned in and muttered, "Just because you don't want to fight anymore it doesn't mean that we don't want to see you, son."

I opened the door and nodded politely to Master Roshi. "I know. I'll be around Master Roshi."

He nodded in return and watched me fly away.

I had to put distance me and those who had always been close to me. They knew everything about me. They knew everything that I had done. I couldn't risk them messing up the life I was beginning for myself.

Things were going so well with Videl that I couldn't risk her finding out who I really was, not to mention I couldn't risk any of them finding out who _she _really was. I sighed rolling over on my back as I flew home.

I wanted my own life. I didn't want to follow in my father's footsteps. I wanted to create my own and the only way I could possibly do that would be by taking a fresh start.

I was about to be a normal High School Senior.

Yup.

Normal.


	20. Chapter 19

_Author's Note: Yes we're celebrating Christmas. And I'm sorry about the long update. _

**Chapter 19: Christmas Eve**

I ran a hand through my hair. _Why was this so hard?_ I mean I had defeated Cell for Kami's sake, but this…this was getting the better of me. I crinkled my nose looking at several of my options. I had to admit to defeat and ask for help. If I was going to do this I was going to need an expert's opinion.

"Gohan," _Speak of the expert._ "You have been staring at those two stores for ten minutes now." There was another pause followed by chewing. "I had time to stand in line and get a pretzel before you even realized I was gone." I blinked and finally faced him. Sharpner had a pretzel in his right hand and a soda in the other. "Just pick already!" He exclaimed.

I groaned. "I want to get something perfect!" I insisted. "What did you get Erasa?"

He smiled proudly and swallowed the pretzel he had in his mouth. "I got her this incredible diamond necklace. Wooo… I had to work quite a few extra hours in Mr. Satan's gym, but Kami it was worth it. She is going to freak. I can't wait to see the look on her face." I could tell I had lost him for a moment.

"Hmm." I looked down at the floor contemplating what I should get her. "Jewelry is a little intense at this point in our relationship. I mean I _really _like her, but expensive jewelry?" I looked at Sharpner shaking my head.

He shook his head back at me. "Yeah, let's not be creepy!" It was silent for a moment. "Well, what about something for all her fighting and training?"

"I want to get her something special. She is…" I held up my hands at a loss for words. "-is so much more than a fighter. She's sweet, compassionate, she's funny, she's deep…"

Sharpner raised an eyebrow. "Are we talking about the same Videl?"

I nudged him laughing. "I know a different side of her!" I argued. And then it clicked. I knew exactly what I wanted to get her. "Come on!" I nodded for Sharpner to follow me. I stopped outside of an art supply store.

Sharpner stopped when we walked inside and looked around. "Wwhooaa! Good job, bro. Way to think outside the box!"

I smiled. "Hey I'm not _terrible _at having a girlfriend." I defended.

I grabbed several different paint colors, a handful of different size brushes, and three canvases, all different sizes. I even grabbed a huge one for her painting for the auction. I paid for everything and Sharpner helped me carry everything out to the jeep. "I was wrong nerdboy." I laughed at the now kind of endearing nickname. "You really outdid yourself for her."

I smiled knowingly. "I'm not quite finished yet." Sharpner looked at me inquisitively.

/

Several hours later I was struggling up the stairs that lead to my third floor. I went into the door opposite of my room and dropped everything on the floor. This room of the house was filled with training equipment. It was a decent sized room and everything was spaced out. I started to rearrange the room putting the weight bench, a few punching bags, the dumbbells, some weighted clothes and a few bigger bars on one side of the room.

"Perfect." I said proudly. I opened the curtains letting the warm sunlight bathe the room. I studied the space for a moment. I went down the steps and into the hall where a mostly empty book case stood about the height of my hip. I picked it up and walked it up the stairs and into that room. I set it in the corner of the room. I started to rearrange the knickknacks and started putting paints and paintbrushes on the shelves. I picked up an easel and stood in front of the window placing it beside the window.

I stood in front of the window. It overlooked the crystal blue lake that I used to go swimming in as a kid. You could see the river connecting on either side of the lake. Sitting beside the lake was a round grassy area that my dad cleared out for us to go camping in. With all of the trees and the mountains it was an incredible view.

And it was perfect for her.

/

It was Christmas Eve. I was walking up the front steps of Videl's house excitedly. I skipped the last two steps and rapped on the door. I could hardly contain my excitement. I looked down at my watch. It was almost 5:30pm. We were supposed to be at her house in the city at 6pm for an early dinner. The door swung open and I looked up. There she was. She was wearing blue skinny jeans and a red flannel shirt. Her hair was undone from her usual pigtails and hung straight instead of its usual messy look. I hadn't realized just how long her hair was before.

"Hey." She smiled at me.

I smiled at her. "Hey, are you ready to go?" She came out of the doorway and slipped her arms around my waist. I chuckled and put my arms around her. Kami, I loved having her so close. I pulled away from her to look at her. "You look adorable!" I blushed. _I can't believe I just said that. _

She was blushing. "Thank you!" She responded. "Y-you look great too!"

I smirked at her mischievously. "You're going to need this." I broke the silence and uncapsuled a helmet and thrust it in her hands.

"What? Gohan, what are you talking about?"

I turned my back to Videl and threw down a capsule that I had been using for the last month. An orange and blue sport bike emerged and Videl gasped. I turned to look at her. "So, what do you think?!" I exclaimed walking over to it. "I've been riding it for about a month now and I'm pretty confident on it." I uncapsuled another helmet and smiled at her.

She walked over to it. "Gohan, it's kind of dangerous don't you think?" She bit her lip uncertainly.

I shrugged. "I think I've done a few things that could be considered more dangerous than this." I admitted. I walked over to her and put my hands on her shoulders. "You always said you wished you could fly." I put the helmet on her head. "This is the closest I could feel to flying without actually flying."

She slid up the visor so I could see her eyes. "Like you know what actual flying feels like." She accused, her voice muffled by the helmet.

I put my own helmet on and tightened the strap. I pulled up the visor. "You know what I mean." I defended coolly. I reached over and tightened her strap. "You ready?" I turned on the biked, swung a leg over and revved the engine a few times. I looked back at her and saw her eyes light up, but I could tell she was trying to remain uninterested. I nodded at her and she approached the bike. She put her arms on my waist and swung a leg over the bike behind me. She adjusted herself behind me and put her arms around my waist.

I smirked to myself. I loved having her close to me. I made a mental note to thank Bulma.

It was just a short motorcycle ride from Videl's place in the country to her place in the city, but it was incredible. I loved the way the wind felt rushing passed me. The whole world seemed to rush by in a blur and for that brief 30 minute ride it was just me and Videl. It felt like nothing else mattered. I went a little faster and I heard her squeal with excitement. She tightened her grip around my waist, but I knew that she was enjoying this ride just as much as I was.

/

We arrived at the smaller mansion in the center of the city. I slowed down and nodded to security to let us in. They opened the gate and we slowly rolled up the driveway and to the house. We came to a stop at the front steps and I shut the bike off. I undid my helmet and when I looked back Videl was beaming at me. She tore her helmet off. "Kami that was intense Gohan!" She exclaimed excitedly.

She jumped off my bike and waited for me to dismount. I took off my helmet and laughed. "I'm glad you enjoyed it!" I set the helmet on my bike and she set hers next to mine.

She jumped up and wrapped her legs around me and kissed me. I quickly put my arms around her taking a tight hold of her. "You weren't kidding! That really was like flying!" She laughed again.

I kissed her again. She broke away and let go of me standing in front of me. I laughed nervously rubbing the back of my head. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

She took a step towards me smiling. "You nervous about meeting my dad as my _boyfriend_?_" _

I chuckled and bit my lip. "Actually, yeah…" I admitted. Of course I wasn't nervous about meeting him so much as I was nervous about him recognizing who I was. I bent down and kissed her.

The front door swung open and my heart started pounding. I broke away from her and turned to the door. My hand intertwined with hers and I held my breath. There he stood again in front of me. He was wearing black training sweats and a tight white shirt, both had Satan logos sprawled across them. He was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. He cleared his throat and spoke, "Were you two planning on coming inside any time soon?"

I tried to stay as cool as I could. "I'm sorry sir." I apologized. "Thank you for having me over."

Mr. Satan smirked at me. "It's my pleasure, son. Gohan right?" He outstretched his hand I took a few steps forward shaking it. "Well come on inside my boy. Let's sit down and have dinner. I would like to get to know you if you are going to be with my little girl."

He turned and went inside. Videl stood beside me and grabbed my hand and flashed me a reassuring smile. We followed him through the sitting area, the kitchen and into the dining room. There was a smaller dining room table that could seat six individuals, but was set for four. Even though their mansion I the city was rather large it was still significantly smaller than the house out on the countryside.

I pulled Videl's chair out for her and then took the seat beside her. An older gentlemen in a button up plaid shirt and a pair of nice jeans came into the room with a tray of four soups. He set the tray at the center of the table and took the seat beside Mr. Satan. "Hello." We shook hands. "My name is Mitchell. I work as a cook for Mr. Satan here." He smiled happily.

"Gohan." I shook his hand.

"He's a live in chef." Videl explained to me. "He is here 24/7."

Mitchell smiled enthusiastically at Videl. "The Satan family has been good to me." He looked over at me. "My wife died a few years ago, and my kids are all grown and out of the house so Mr. Satan offered to let me live here." I was eating my soup while he was talking. He took a bite from his soup and waved his hand. "But enough about me. Let's hear about you, Gohan."

I swallowed the bite that was in my mouth nervously. I always dreaded this question, but I was prepared for it. I had practiced all that week for this dinner. I put a hand on Videl's leg underneath the table and she put her hand over mine. I set the spoon down in the bowl.

"Well, I go to Orange Star High with Videl." We smiled at each other and I looked back at Mr. Satan and Mitchell. "I was homeschooled up until this year."

"Really now?" I looked at Mr. Satan. "That is interesting. Why were you homeschooled?"

I shrugged. "I live all the way in Mt. Paoz and my father worked a lot. It would have been tiresome for my mom to have to drive me to school every day. Now that I can fend for myself it's no big deal for me to go to school. Plus my mom says that if I could get people to know me it might help with recommendation letters for universities and such."

Mitchell looked surprised. "Impressive."

Mr. Satan cut in, "Do you know what you want to do after high school?"

I bit my lip. No one had really asked me that question. I thought for sure I would be protecting the world for the rest of my life now that my father wasn't around but- "I would like to be a University professor."

Mr. Satan snorted. "I was never any good at that book stuff, but you seem like the type!"

Mitchell got up and started to pick up our dishes. I rubbed the back of my neck uncomfortably. "Um. Well thank you sir."

He smirked and crossed his arms. "So you got no fight in you then, huh?"

I cringed. I could feel the bitterness start to creep its way up and I pushed it back down. "No sir." I lied.

He chuckled. "Believe it or not it's refreshing to meet someone who doesn't want my autograph or any of my fighting tips!" He winked at me.

I chuckled. "Trust me sir, I can honestly say I won't be bothering you about that kind of stuff."

Hercule narrowed his eyes and leaned forward, "Are you sure I don't know you from somewhere, kid?"

I leaned back a bit. "N-no sir." I swallowed hard pleading to Kami that he wouldn't recognize me.

Hercule sat back down in his chair waving his finger at me. "I don't know Gohan. I'm pretty sure I know you from somewhere! I'll put my finger on it."

Mitchell came back with plates containing steak, mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. He set down plates in front of all of us and I inhaled deeply. "Wow Mitchell!" I exclaimed. "It smells great!"

Mitchell took his seat next to Hercule. "Dig in!"

/

After dinner Videl and I were sitting on her balcony upstairs in her room. We were bundled up in a blanket and sipping a hot chocolate that Mitchell had brought us. We were gazing out at all the city lights. I sighed contently. This is what I wanted out of life. I didn't have to fight anyone. I could train at my own pace. I didn't feel like I was living in the shadow of my father and- I put an arm around Videl and pulled her closer to me. –And I was with the girl of my dreams.

"Hey Gohan." I couldn't see Videl's face, but I could hear her voice hesitating.

I pulled away from her to look at her. "What's up Videl?"

She was looking at me fully and I could tell she was a little nervous. She was playing with her hands underneath the blanket. "What happened with your dad?" I went rigid. She noticed and added, "I couldn't help but feel you tense up every time my dad asked you a question about your family and you didn't mention him once." I couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. I was ashamed of how much he affected me and ashamed that Videl knew. Then she added, "I realized I had never asked you what happened."

I stared at her. I knew this question was inevitable, but I guess I always sort of hoped it would never come up. "He died." I looked away from her at the lights. "Cell killed him."

She looked alarmed. "I-I'm so sorry I never asked before."

I shook my head. "Videl don't be. It's okay."

She kissed the side of my head. "Looks like we understand each other better than I thought." I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked away. Kami, I hated talking about him. She put her hand on the side of my face rubbing my cheek. "Want to talk about it?"

"No." I answered quickly. I felt her tense and I instantly regretted it. "I-I don't want to talk about him…"

Videl's hand fell into mine. "Are you sure?" She gave me a reassuring smile. "I would understand better than anyone else-"

I stood up. "Videl," I looked fully at her. For a moment I really wanted to tell her everything. _It's my fault he's dead, Videl. Cell killed him because of me. It should have been me Videl that died, not him._ I shook my head. "It's Christmas Eve." I gave her a halfhearted smile. "Just happy stuff okay?"

She stood up and reluctantly nodded her head. "Okay." I took a step forward and embraced her kissing her forehead. I stepped back. "So," I raised an eyebrow and she was looking at me curiously. "What did you get me for Christmas?"

"Gohan!" She smacked me playfully.


End file.
